Your Vampire Guardian
by EmissaryOfDarkness
Summary: A vampire prodigy unexpectantly winds up in a tangled mess to save something she never expected that leads to the secrets of her unknown past. Complete, please R & R.
1. Prologue

**Your vampire guardian**

**您的吸血鬼監護人**

Life wasn't always fair, that was for sure. Sometimes it's perfect and you want it to stay that way, but during some part of this perfect life you have there is a part that darkens because of something horrible that has happened or is going to.

For me, my so called "perfect" life was no more than a mere dream I had created in my head. My life was like a shadow. Dark. Not real. Not supposed to exist.

But I did.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 - Found 發現**

The year was 2375. The world was desolate and dark. Destroyed by the third world war. A human's Armageddon, some called it. It started as a mere argument between Russia and Europe, soon dragging the rest of the world into their affairs of how governments and religion were to be run. Everyone around the world, young men especially, were being drafted into this war that was started when Russia attacked the Vatican. This sent the world into a frenzy. No more peace. Everyone had to choose a side. The U.S. became a nation no longer free, and the world was not longer peaceful it had once been 300 years ago.

With the war came famine. Another Great Depression. Only this time…it was far worse. The waters of the oceans and lakes everywhere on the earth were contaminated by pollution. The sky became black as the night, no one could tell what time of day it was.

Wars before this were supposed to be the final wars, which was true for some time. But then again, time has a way of changing things. Who was I to believe that any war was to be the last?

This World War III bled itself out. Until all the countries resources ran dry. There was no victory for anyone, only losses of millions and millions of lives. And hundreds of thousands who were left to bear the consequences of what was left behind to them. However, just as World War III ended, a war that had been going on for centuries between three nations started to rise, and show its ugly face to the world as well.

This war was known as the Silent War. Because while humans ruled the world, we were always hiding them from the truth that was around them. To keep them as well as ourselves protected, because without humans our lives would not exist. Though to the leaders of the three nations, it didn't matter, they only sought to rule the world since mankind had had their chance. Keeping humans alive just so they could have the power of ruling without dying first, using them as slaves. Only some knew of this war, but once it was opened for the whole planet to witness, everyone started to believe it.

Once known to the world, the Silent War became known as the Triads War. One that there would be no end to. All three sides were at a stand still. If some were killed they were easily brought back, for these nations were immortal. But these nations would not stop their endless and useless fight between them. It had gone on too long. They were all mortal enemies of each other.

The first nation was the Werewolves. I'm sure everyone knew what they were. Though not everything was as they were told in the old stories humans made up. Lycans were not weak against silver bullets, they could change into the monsters they were anytime they wanted, and as for the full moon…well they became something more than a mere ugly human-wolf. They were also not protectors of humans. They despised them, yet needed them like the other nations. Werewolves would use them as slaves, to either eat, since humans were their source of energy, or have some form of enjoyment.

The next nation was known as the Vare Hunters. They were descendants of Vampire and Werewolf Hunters. Though the two tribes joined together to become stronger. They had the weapons that were passed down to them, however, the ammo that they used to try and kill their enemies ran short, they used humans in old factories like rats to make more. That was really all that humans were needed for with this nation, though they were killed if they resisted capture.

The final nation would be my kind, Vampires. They were a despicable race. Drinking the blood of humans in order to live, though they could go without it, with the consequence of losing their sanity until they had some. They were not susceptible to crosses, and the joke about not being able to enter a house unless invited. Stakes would paralyze us, if hit in our hearts. Holy water stunned our senses for a period of time. We didn't have reflections. And the sun…well it used to be a danger, but with the darkened sky, it didn't matter anymore. Vampires also used humans as slaves for…everything.

Humans were a sad people now. Refugees, starved and thirsty. They hid in underground barracks to keep anyone of the three nations from finding them. Only coming out to find food for themselves. Aside from being captured, the environment was hazardous as well. The air that had once been clean now could cause disease to them if they breathed it for too long. Their only hope was of the Angel Prodigy. A story told to keep everyone from giving up.

The Angel was supposed to come and end the Triads War, turning the world back into the luscious green and blue planet it had once been. But of course, it was only a story.

***

I was wandering through the woods, not knowing or caring much of where I was going. The forest was foggy, the smell of it was nauseating. Trees were all dead and grey. The tail of my cloak gently flying behind me. My hood and black hair hiding my face. I stopped in the middle of a large puddle, amazed that it even rained.

My reflection looked back at me with a slight blur, reminding me of what I was. A vampire. But not a normal one, a True Vampire. Since I was born from two vampire parents, I was a legacy since I was the first ever to be born and survive. But after six months because I grew big black cat ears and a tail, I was also a disgrace. Because I was a neko too. A half-cat vampire. I also had some minor features, such as my fangs being already sharp and pointed without extending my real ones, I had claws, and, though none could tell because my eyes were black, my pupils were slit. Neko's were known to be sex icons, thus, I was frowned upon.

No longer accepted by my own kind. And an enemy seen by the rest of the world. I was a freak, and I was alone.

I heard a nearly muted rustle to my left. Though from where it came from was a few miles away.

"Get him!" a voice commanded. Then there was the sound of hurrying feet as they ran toward another pair ahead of them that was running in my direction.

I glared in the sounds direction. From the smell in the polluted air, I could tell they were lycans. With continuing of my hollow and cold glare, I let my fangs start to descend. Sure, I could leave, nothing in the world was my business and no one wanted me around anyways. Besides I was part cat here, dogs weren't exactly a favorite thing. But somehow my legs wouldn't let me move.

Appearing a few yards through the withered trees came a man, a human. And behind him came three werewolves. They could have easily overpowered him, but the speed that they looked to be running got me to guess they were playing around with the human.

The man looked up and saw me, more fear came his eyes. I was no longer glaring, but staring at the human. Without a second thought or reason, I flew past him in a blur, my hood sliding from my head, attacking the first lycan that I came to.

I killed him instantly, by narrowing my hand with my claws lengthened and shoving it through the dog's head, breaking through the other side of his head. The other two saw what I had done, they dropped their thought of getting the human and attacked back.

"Hemophage," one growled at me. He was half-way into fully transforming into a dark chestnut colored wolf.

"Lycan," I hissed back, my angelic voice no longer seeming as innocent as it would had I been talking normally. I stood straight, not wanting to be recognized as one of the vampire nation, their fighting stances were usually catlike, which I thought was hypocritical of them.

I heard a moan behind me. Unthinkingly, I turned to see that I had knocked down the human with the wind that came when I passed him. Before I realized, a werewolf slammed into my back and knocked me into a tree, which then snapped and toppled over. The other grabbed the back of my head and swung me into another tree, which also fell. Black blood started dripping from my head down my face.

I had been thrown far enough not to be attacked the next second, I quickly gained sight of my surroundings. I teleported behind one werewolf and kindly gave him the same treatment he had given me. Grabbing his head, I slammed him into the other werewolf.

They were stunned for a moment, but got up nonetheless. I was having fun with them. Both started at me, coming from both sides. I disappeared into the trees. If they wanted to cheat so would I.

Before they could react I grabbed both behind there necks, to be sure they wouldn't be able to regenerate, I held them up with my telekinesis and ripped their heads off. Blood splattered over me, though I didn't care, it wouldn't show on all the black I was wearing. When sure that they wouldn't be returning to life and quieting my powers, I turned back at the human.

It seemed that he was too exhausted to try to keep going. Instead, he had gotten up and leaned against a tree to catch his breath.

He was taller than me, I'd guess about six feet seven inches from my five foot eleven height. His hair was nearly two inches long and barely fell over his eyes, which were, to me, an intoxicating dark brown. His skin tone was a perfect tan, which was natural since it couldn't be achieved by the sun. He wore white clothing, a trench coat, a moderately tight t-shirt, though his pants were black and somewhat baggy, like mine even our fingerless black gloves were the same. He looked around his late teens or early twenties. And all his features were perfect, like a vampire, yet he wasn't.

"Are you going to kill me?" he asked, sounding like he had just given up. His voice was silky smooth, not too low, not too high, it was…perfect. So mesmerizing to me.

I looked at the dead lycan bodies around me, the blood pouring out on the ground, then back at him. "No."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 - Differences ****區別**

I had never understood what it was like to be human. Of course, I wasn't born one. Even though besides all other vampires, excluding halflings, I had a conscience and some sort of soul, though I was sure that they had disappeared by now. Since life for me was never easy.

I tried living among humans like any other creature. But I was too different. They tried to kill me, their governments tried to take me in. All just because I didn't completely look like them. I hated humans. I killed hundreds of them, without feeling any sort of guilt. Little children watched as I killed their families in front of them, being drenched in their parents blood before coming after them. I remember hearing them scream, but feeling nothing. They started it. Which is a reason as to why I didn't think I had a conscience anymore.

Although, how I ended up with this human confused me more than ever. I had left him after I killed the werewolves to go along in my nomadic ways, only to find that he was following me.

"What are you doing?" I asked, irritated.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked back innocently. "What's your name?"

I hesitated. "What would it be to you?"

"Well I just wanted to thank you properly for saving my life back there."

I was beyond annoyed that I hadn't killed him now, humans were never thankful, just greedy. "I'm going to kill you," I stated, stopping.

"If you were going to do that you would have done it after you killed those werewolves."

It was true, though I wanted to, something was keeping me from killing him. My feet wouldn't move with my motive.

"I'm Zidane Nesaro," he introduced, then he urged on, "And you are…?" He gestured with his hands.

I rolled my eyes and started walking again. "Koliko Rainorel."

"Nice to meet you." He smiled, showing completely white straight teeth, and a pair of his own human fangs. "And thanks for saving me."

I shrugged it off. Having been the first _real_ conversation I'd had in hundreds of years, it was awkward, especially with a human. I kept myself in solitary confinement since I couldn't get along with anyone in the world. Talking was not my specialty, I was antisocial.

"Never thought I'd be saved by a vampire before," Zidane said thoughtfully, bringing me out of my own thoughts. "Usually they all want to kill me."

"Well you do smell lovely," I said with a seductive voice. Turning to him and stepping right up to his neck, which was at the perfect height for me.

Surprisingly, I was right. I was never drawn to any blood of a human before. Zidane's was somehow different. It actually sang a succulent melody to my ears. His heart beat like the perfect rhythm. My senses were drawn to him like a magnet. I found it hard to pull away, but manageable. No one, especially human, would get the best of me.

Zidane cleared his throat. "Yeah well…uh…" I interrupted.

"But I'm not the same as my relatives—" Other vampires, not really relatives "—I won't drain you." I turned sharply and started toward wherever I'd end up.

I heard a sigh…of relief? "Well you definitely aren't like others." He walked up next to me. Amazingly not straining himself to keep up with my fast pace. "And I'm glad."

I stopped again, turning to him. "Why? My saving you doesn't make any difference. Chances are you'll get caught or killed in this world anyways."

Zidane only smiled softly at me. "But it does. I'm alive still, at least for a while longer. Even if I die sooner or later, at least I still got to live now. It's all thanks to you for being different."

This caught me off guard. "No human is ever thankful. They only think of themselves," I stated, turning away.

"Maybe, but people change—"

"Humans will never change," I interrupted angrily. "Even when given chances, they are too materialistic to give a damn about others. Trying to fit in with everyone else so they will be accepted, though un-accepting of those who aren't like them. No, humans will never change."

"Your wrong about that," Zidane said slowly. This time he stopped.

I glared at him, though trying to hold it was hard. "How so?"

"Well, me, for instance. I grew up supposed to hate vampires and the others because that's the world I was born into. But I was a defiant child. I gave all of you beings a chance, second chances, and even more chances after that to try and prove everyone else wrong about there being no more good in the world." He smiled genuinely as he looked ahead then at me. "And one of those chances was worth it. I met a vampire that saved my life and doesn't want to eat or kill me at first glance. And even though you must have went through on hell of a time during your life, I like you, even if you are a vampire."

I just stared at him. And stared and stared. Unable to take my eyes away from his.

He laughed. "What?"

I shook my head looking up. "You are the strangest human I've ever met."

Zidane laughed again. "It's a start."

"You don't even know what my life has been like. I'm not some sort of defect vampire that doesn't kill cause it bothers me. No vampire is like that. We don't feel."

"Yeah, you're the legendary True Vampire. Prodigy yet disgrace to your kind because you're a neko." I quickly had my eyes back on him, watching intently. He smiled gently. How could he keep smiling at a creature with a blood splattered face? "There are stories about you. You killed thousands of humans, then all in one night just vanished, to reappear a few years after World War III began." He nodded. "But you didn't kill me…yet. Which means you feel something."

"For a human you don't seem scared to be standing next to something that's killed hundreds of others. There must be something mentally wrong with you," I said, kneeling down wiping off some blood that I could with the puddles of water. Pulling the strands of my long black hair that had dried to my face.

He stood thoughtfully for a moment, shaking his head every now and then. "No, I don't think so. I've been in a lot of near death situations since I was born. I figure there's no sense in being scared with death breathing down your neck every waking moment of your life." Zidane looked at me with a sort of tender face. "And you aren't 'something' you're someone."

There was something like an awkward pause between us. Awkward to a point. I wasn't in the exact in knowing what it was supposed to feel like. Conversations weren't my specialty.

I was, however, stunned to silence. No one in my lifetime had ever spoke so kindly to me. Never. Not even look at me like I was actually there.

I shook my head faintly and continued walking. The fog had lifted barely. Which reminded me.

"You shouldn't be out here in this air," I said indifferently. "You'll die from the toxins if you breathe too much."

"It doesn't matter." He smirked at me. "I'm going to die anyways."

I frowned at this. The thought of Zidane dying sickened me for an unknown reason. Perhaps it was because he accepted me. Or perhaps it was because, for once in my life, I didn't feel so alone.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 - Stories 故事**

"Tell me," I said to Zidane. Who else? He looked at me with curiosity, since it had been a while since either of us had said a word.

"Tell what?" he asked, oddly interested that I was the one starting a conversation that needed more than a mere word to reply.

"About the stories you humans made about me."

He thought about it for a minute, rubbing his chin with his thumb. "Only if you answer some questions when I'm done," he said negotiated.

I narrowed my eyes at him. I hated it when in order to get something you wanted you had to do something for them. Just tell me so I can get on with life.

"Fine," I submitted. Zidane smiled.

"Well the stories vary in details, but are mostly the same," he started. "You were born from two vampires, but when it turned out to be a neko so you were thus frowned upon. You were to be killed for dishonoring the vampire race, but escaped. You tried living among humans, but because of your ears and other features, you were unaccepted. You killed any human that looked at you--" I faintly smirked. "--and then one day something happened that set you off and you killed everyone in nearly 200 different cities. Then you just disappeared.

"Every human I know fears you. Though some think that since you don't need to drink blood and are supposedly neutral in the war that you aren't so bad, though others hate you anyways cause you're a vampire and you still kill humans without a need to," he said, then added, "They have names for you too."

I looked up at him. "Oh? And what is that?"

"Daughter of Evil, Satan's Child…a few more I think, but those ones stuck in my head the most."

I laughed without humor. "I wouldn't doubt those names fit me perfectly."

"Now it's my turn," he proposed.

I nodded reluctantly. "Very well. What do you want to know?"

"Well first off. How old are you?"

"Eighteen," I replied.

"Yeah, sure, in looks, but how old from when you were born 'til now?" he asked patiently.

I had to calculate it in my head for a minute. I never had kept track of how old I was. "I think a little over 600-years-old." God I was old.

Zidane only nodded. I guess old people didn't phase him much. "You have an accent, though I can barely tell. What is it?"

I looked at him oddly. Accent? "Probably English. I spent some time in London before isolating myself. Then reading minds to catch up on history might have influenced my no-detection-of-having-an-accent factor."

"Tell me about your real life," he continued.

I tensed. Now I didn't want to continue our little conversation of getting to know each other. Zidane somehow noticed.

"Just parts you want to," he suggested, "I don't want to pry. Just know."

"Why are you so interested?" I asked quizzically.

He shrugged. "It's not everyday you get to have a conversation with a vampire."

I took a deep, unneeded, breath. "Well, your human stories are true amazingly," I commended, then added more details for him. "My mother was killed saving me. She is the only one of my immortal life that accepted me as her daughter, without the faults. My father disowned me. So I had nothing left to do but run. When being rejected by the rest of the world I built a small house in a hidden valley by the Himalayas. I never left there, not until it was destroyed by debris of the war. Since then I've just traveled around. Looking at how much the world has changed since I had last seen it. Reading peoples minds to understand how everything worked now." I stopped. My life wasn't worth listening to.

"I heard that vampires did get powers after being Turned. It must be true since you have them--"

"Only a select few or us get powers. I'm the only exception, since I was born True I automatically got powers from my parents. But for the others it depends. Their 'sire' might give them abilities like their own, although they are a little different, or not. It occurs randomly, nothing is for certain."

"So what about you? What are your powers?" Zidane asked, curiously.

After a moment, I sighed. I lifted my left hand, taking the glove off. Showing a mark of two Chinese characters on the back just below my thumb. The edges seemed to glow a dark fading red. "This is."

"What's that say?" he asked even more curious now.

"Darkness. I don't know how I got it, I think I was born with it. My mother guessed before she died that it was to seal most of my True powers when I inherited them. That it'd be too much for me to handle all at once. Which is true, ever since I inherited them I've had to practice understanding and using them. I still don't know if I can control them now, since I don't know how to break the seal."

"What were your parent's powers? What do you mean inherit? How much of your power can you use?" Zidane's questions came like bullets.

"My mother had the ability to read the histories of people by looking through their eyes, and was able to nullify the senses of the immortals, as well as cancel the powers of vampires and weapons of the hunters so they couldn't be used. My father was capable of telepathy, and a limited ability of telekinesis.

"It's a legend that a True Vampire would grow to the age of the mother, and when fully grown they would inherit superior and more versions of their parent's powers. Which is somewhat true, I got my powers mostly from my father. Legends for the immortal worlds usually never change, since there was, I'm sure, at least one True Vampire before me.

"From what I know, and what I can do. I would guess that only ten percent of my power is capable of use. The other 90 percent is sealed with this." I pointed at the mark.

He thought for a minute before asking, "What were your parents names?"

I hesitated. "My mother was Nanami. My father…I refuse to say," I said, pushing back the memories. "No more questions."

"Just one more," he insisted. This irritated me, I had already told him more than what I had agreed to. Though I wasn't sure how many questions "some" meant.

"Fine."

"What's the order of power for the nations?" he asked.

"Are you building up a strategy?" I asked amusingly.

"Sorta. Not really. I've always been fascinated with the immortal races for some reason."

I thought for a moment. "Well, the Vare Hunters are the most vulnerable. Even with their weapons, it's hard for them to get supplies, so it leaves them with pathetic physical strength and senses, unlike vamps and weres. But I'm not sure about the food chain for the other two.

"Both regenerate quickly. Werewolves have poisonous claws that slows our healing process, though if we inject them with a certain toxin it does the same. Only direct blows to head can kill either. Though damaging the main parts of the body works too. Head, neck, heart, and lungs. There are more dogs than bats, but any of my kind, even without powers, can kill at least three without getting hurt. That's why they hunt in larger packs. But since vampires are hard as marble and already undead, they're hard to kill but easy to revive if their vital points haven't been hit. And they travel in pairs," I finished. I talked more than I thought I was able to. It was strange. Perhaps I included too much information about the immortals just to answer a single question. Even if I wasn't accepted, there was just some part of me that had respect for those of my kind.

Zidane smiled. "Cool. Thanks for telling me. It gives a little more sense of how the world works nowadays."

I only nodded. "The world will never make sense however the future takes it."

He laughed. "Yeah, sounds true enough."


	5. Chapter 4

_Sorry for taking so long to upload, I've been having major writer's block and working on other chapters while forgetting to upload ones I already have . Enjoy!!_

**Chapter 4 - Revealed ****顯露**

"So where are we headed?" Zidane asked, ever so casually.

"Actually, I'm about to just leave you here," I stated with an irritated tone.

"Ouch."

I winced somewhat at the word. It was a lie, every thought I had about taking off somehow paralyzed my legs into not listening to me. Not that I didn't have will power. If I thought about it enough I could've just teleported out of there. His smell filled me with a lovely lethal hypnosis I didn't want to leave.

"Why were you out here anyways?"

"Raiding. We needed supplies, so a group of us volunteered," Zidane explained, without hesitation. "We split up when we found a deserted village. Unfortunately some werewolf scouts were in the area. I don't know who was able to escape…" His tone dropped lower.

"Were there any with you that you were close too?" I knew fully well that there were more wolves that just the three. This was their part of the world, what was once the United States. It was hardly likely that they all got away.

"No. Not really anyone I knew. I've traveled from place to place to help out others that I could since my parents were killed." He shrugged. "I just feel bad that some raids don't go very smooth."

From what I was hearing I would say it seemed like he didn't care at all whether one got caught or not, even though I'm sure he didn't want anyone to be. It was just a part of life that he had to agree to.

"You have no family then?"

"Nope. I'm a lone free ranger." Zidane grinned.

"Well no 'lone free ranger' would be able to survive out here."

"You're alone, you're surviving. How am I any different?"

"I'm able to defend myself, unlike you. You're a human against supernatural beings."

"Ah," Zidane alleged, tapping his head with his forefinger. "But maybe I could be one of those humans who can talk his way out of things."

"Right, I'm sure you can talk anyone to death if you tried," I said sarcastically.

"I can't try it out on you though, you're already dead, so we'll never know if my powers work or not," he joked.

"Yes, I suppose so. Although I could leave and just let you get caught by some dogs or hunters, then we could see if your stupid powers work." I was being completely serious, I was traveling slower than I wanted with Zidane following me, even though I had nowhere particular to go.

"_Or_," he spoke softly, "you could stay with me."

I stopped in shock. The tone of his voice was serious, yet something else was in it as well.

"Why don't you go back to safety with your fellow humans? I'm sure they miss you."

He waved it off. "Nah, they can do just fine. I was just visiting. Besides, it's not everyday you get to hang with a vampire that won't kill you."

"I would kill you--" I cut off., sniffing the air. Sighing after I realized the scent.

"What?" Zidane asked, looking around. Though the fog had lifted fully, everything still looked grey.

"We're at the wolves' and hunter's boundary line, and not to far from the vampire's border as well," I whispered. "It's best if we lay low, and get away from here as soon as we can."

I started off through the dead forest, crouching and walking faster than normal. Zidane followed close behind me, breathing heavy, but able to keep up with my abnormal speed amazingly. I slowed to so he wouldn't have to try so hard.

"It'd be best if you went back to your safety houses. You're in too much danger out here," I whispered loud enough for him to hear.

"If we're at the border the nearest safety house is nearly 90 or so miles in the vampires territory," he whispered back, catching as much air as he could between words.

I groaned silently to myself. "About a three day journey if we travel steadily. Our best choice is to stay in the border line, if we get caught, we may have a chance of getting away _if_ both sides go after each other." Which was pretty likely considering the circumstance of the world.

I heard the dry leaves on the ground crunch behind me. I glanced to see, stopping from my dead run when I saw Zidane was kneeling on the ground, clutching at his chest.

"Zidane, what's wrong?" I asked, kneeling down, putting my hand on his shoulder. He felt extremely hot, what shocked me was that I could feel it on my ice cold skin.

"I don't know," he gasped, "I just suddenly had this pain." He pointed to his heart.

"Try and get over it. We need to keep moving." A sudden nauseating wave hit me. "Damn it." Zidane looked up at me, his eyes curious yet pained.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" a squeaky voice asked. A short man came from behind thick shrunken tree, followed by four others. All dressed in dark colors. From the certain repulsive smell they gave off, they were Vare hunters. It gave me a headache.

"A human, a vampire, and Vare hunters. Boys, I do believe we've run into quite a sight," a different, deeper, voice said. A larger man came from the other direction of the Vare hunters. He was followed by five other men and a girl. These men wore torn shorts and a bare chest, the girl a tank-top that was barely hanging on. The musky disgusting scent increased my hurting mind. Lycans.

I stood slowly. Stepping in front of Zidane, who was breathing harder, trying to stifle his groans of pain that seemed to be increasing.

Both sides caught sight of each other. Hostility became more evident in the air.

Before anything could be said Zidane stood screaming. Holding his head tightly.

"Zidane, what's--" I was attacked by the lycan girl. Slamming onto the ground. I growled, the sound residing from deep in my chest. I hit my head into hers, hearing her nose crack. Then, with my fangs and claws extended, I shoved my hand through her chest, grabbing her heart, and biting her windpipe, ignoring the vile taste of her blood in my mouth. It cut off her yelping as she went limp on top of me.

I pushed her off, looking for Zidane. I saw the wolves and hunters combating with each other relentlessly. Growling and yelling amongst them. Then I recovered sight of Zidane, he looked different…and he was fighting. He was moving faster than the others too.

His eyes weren't the exquisite dark brown iris' they were supposed to be; instead they were gold, like molten swirls of different shades of gold. I gasped in shock before I was attacked by a hunter.

I heard horrid screams. I smelled what seemed like burning flesh. I grabbed the hunter by the neck as he pulled a gun out, but before I could snap it I was stabbed. A sword, glowing under the thin layer of my black blood as well as, I assume, the other's darker red blood, was sticking through my abdomen as well as the hunter, who screamed before suddenly turning to dust.

I stared at the sword with a confused alarm. It pulled out of me smoothly, I stayed standing, moving my hands to cover my stomach, my left hand felt like it was burning. Zidane walked in front of me, his eyes not showing the same kindness they had once demonstrated to me. They were frightening.

The sword in his hand was completely white, aside from the blood, the handle had spike-like feathers coming from it, the middle of the blade was straight and sharp on one side, the other was jagged. It got larger at the end, splitting from one blade to two, like a "V", the blade seemed to become layered, there were holes in it - like a skeleton - some were faintly glowing an eerie black swirl. It was terrifying, yet amazing.

"Zidane…" I whispered, some blood sliding at the corner of my mouth. Had I been betrayed?

As if coming back to reality, Zidane's fearsome gold eyes darkened back into their usual dark brown. The sword disappeared into thin air. His eyes widened in horror.

"Oh my God, Koliko" he exclaimed in a horrified whisper, grabbing my blood covered hands. But when I removed them, the large gash had disappeared, along with the burning sensation of my hand, only a long, thin, narrow upside-down "V" scar from below my chest to my pant line and my torn shirt gave evidence of what had happened. Which was odd, I never got scars after healing.

"What happened to you?" I asked, keeping my whisper.

"I don't remember." He shook his head, trying to joggle some memory. "The last thing that happened was that I felt really hot, and it just exploded."

Then it hit me. The golden eyes, the horrifying sword, being able to disintegrate all the immortals with just a touch. Without a thought, I smiled, a foreign feeling. "It's you," I said.

"What?"

"You're the next Angel."


	6. Chapter 5

_Thanks for the reviews. Here's another chapter before I forget._

**Chapter 5 - Untold ****無限**

The Angel…was a being that all three nations wanted. To bend its will to their own. They had the technology to do it. Being able to replace memories of anyone so they could control them. With the Angel in any of the nation's hands, they would get their wish to control the world.

It wasn't something I was exactly thrilled about. It was more like a nightmare than a blessing.

I was walking at the quickest rate possible. Annoyed beyond reason. Zidane had to jog to keep up.

"Wait, wait," he said. "Hey, hold on a second. What do you mean I'm the next 'Angel'?" He grabbed my shoulder urgently, trying to get me to stop.

I ignored him, keeping my same angry pace, and walking past him.

"Hey!" Zidane jumped in front of me. It took me by surprise and I ended up running in to him. He stumbled back a bit, but I only wavered before crossing my arms.

"What?" I asked irritated.

"What do you mean about me being the next 'Angel'?" he repeated, catching his breath.

"That you're the next Angel. How else am I supposed to say it to be clear?" I let out an agitated sigh. "What, have you never been told your human stores about it?"

He shrugged. "My parents were barely around. And the people that I grew up with didn't exactly have faith, though I only heard that there was supposed to be someone who was expected to save humankind. And besides, what's up with you, when you found you were happy for a minute."

"Just for a minute," I accused. "Before I remembered you're a bad omen for me."

"Bad omen?" he questioned. "Are we getting all religious now?"

I glared at him. "You have the ability to kill immortals. Though I guess if you think about it, nothing really is immortal. Since they can all be destroyed by God. Thus, God is the only real immortal…" I trailed off. "But you have the power to do nearly anything since you've awakened now."

"But I stabbed you straight through, and you didn't die," Zidane countered.

"I'm still trying to figure that one out," I admitted.

"So, tell me," he beckoned. "About this Angel story."

I looked at him closely. There was nothing about him that seemed to hint that he was the Angel. I took a deep breath before starting. "It's known as the Angel Prodigy. A human with abilities beyond all others. Eyes golden as the heavenly light…" I paused a moment. "And you're not really an 'Angel'. Humans just call you that to make them feel better."

"Then what am I?" he asked. His tone was low, lost in thought.

"A Souler," I told him. "You are a human with the ability to kill any of the immortals without even breaking a sweat. Or you give them souls."

Zidane looked up at me at the last sentence. "Give them souls?"

I nodded. "Yes. Since the immortals are beings that have lost their souls, because they need to feed or something with the human race seeing as you have souls, you can give them their soul back. Turning them back into humans. Which is why you're called the Souler."

"Huh." He let out a long exhausted whistle. "I don't even know how to do anything."

"Your blood is the key to your other side. Somehow you stirred it up, and you changed for that period of time when we were attacked. It's understandable that you don't."

"But what about the half-immortals? They still have some sort of soul."

I thought about it for a moment. "I suppose maybe you're able to give them the other half of their soul." I shrugged.

There was silence between us for a few minutes. Zidane contemplated. His dark eyes moving back and forth. Every now and again he would look at me as if to say something, but then return to his thinking.

I sighed, turning to sit on a large decayed log. He really didn't know anything about the world he lived in. I started wondering how he hadn't died yet.

The area of my hand the seal was on started throbbing again. Not as bad as it had before, but it was noticeable. When I looked back up at Zidane I saw he was staring at me.

"What?" I asked, rubbing the mark, hoping that maybe the pain would disappear.

"Do you have a soul?" he asked back. He ran his fingers through his sweaty black hair.

This caught me by surprise. I didn't know the answer to that, but my guesses were all toward the answer no. "Well I was born from two beings without souls. So I would assume I didn't."

"It's just so strange," he said. "I would never have thought that I'd be the hope everyone looked for."

"It seems like that always happens to those who are unsuspecting."

"Do you believe in God?" he asked suddenly.

I thought about it. "Sometimes I do. Though I'm sure God doesn't want to deal with a demon like me. I've done so many horrible things during my lifetime. I'd understand if the good Lord didn't."

"I'm sure God would forgive you," Zidane said reassured. From the tone if his voice I assumed that he was one to believe. "You're a good person as far as I know." He smiled tenderly.

"That's just because you don't know everything about me," I countered. "You are too kind for your own good."

"Maybe you're just to pessimistic for _your_ own good," he replied.

I glared at him, still wondering why it was so hard to hate him. "I have my reasons to be pessimistic. I've lived longer than you. I know how everything works."

"Just because you've been treated bad in life so far. But just hang with me, you'll lighten up."

"I doubt a human therapist can help me," I said irritably.

He laughed. "Well I'm no therapist. Though I'm sure you'll ease up sometime."

I got up and started walking again. "We should keep moving. That fiasco back there will be found out soon, and everyone will know that you've returned.

"Returned?" Zidane inquired. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I only smiled tauntingly at him. "All in good time. A vampire who's lived as long as I have wouldn't just give everything away to a mere human." Though my smile disappeared as I said it. My secret wasn't something to smile about.

"Fine, but you'll tell me sometime," he said. "Since you've been alone for a while I'm sure you'll burst with stuff to tell me." He smiled back at me mockingly.

I shook my head in disgust. "I'm not that idiotic. I'm comfortable alone. _You_ are the one who talks too much."

Zidane made a face like he was offended. "Why madam I believe you…might be right," he agreed. "It doesn't matter though, I'm sure you'll answer all of my questions eventually." He held his hands behind his head as he followed me.

_Idiot_, I thought. How could he be so careless?


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 - Only Lonely ****仅孤獨**

There wasn't much to do in a world that was full of the dead. I mean, it wasn't exactly a place you could be carefree anymore. Not that I cared. There were plenty of places I could disappear to that I was sure no one had found yet. However, I chose to stay with this human. Something terribly wrong must have happened to me.

"Where to?" I asked dully.

"I don't know," Zidane replied.

I turned to him angrily. "What do you mean you don't know? You're a human, you should know where this safety house is, you said so yourself."

"Uh, yeah-no. Not exactly, no." He scratched his head, looking away from me.

I groaned in frustration. "Fine. I've had it, I'm leaving you here." I started walking off, about to teleport to back to China, which was vampire territory, before he grabbed my arm.

"Wait. Ok, ok. I'm kidding. I know where it is." He moved in front of me, walking backwards as he watched my cynical, pale face. "That way." He pointed right. West. I raised my eyebrow at him; he just smiled. "I have a good sense of direction." He smirked. "Trust me."

I nodded ever so slightly. "Very well then. West it is."

We were still traveling along the border, the only one that all three nations touched. A place on this continent formerly known as Canada. It wasn't the most safe place to be, since most of the resources and enforcements of each nation were defending it so they wouldn't lose their territories. Though I would credit them for quieting down somewhat, they weren't warring with each other as much as they had 100 years ago. Only attacking when crossing each others paths.

"What time do you think it is?" Zidane asked, looking up toward the darkened grey sky. I followed his gaze, looking for some sort of distinction of time.

"The sun looks like its setting," I stated quietly.

Zidane looked at me with surprise. "Really? How can you tell?"

I laughed dryly. "My eyes are so much stronger than yours human."

"Does the sun hurt you at all?" More questions?

I shrugged. "It's different for all of us. It doesn't hurt me. Though hardly anything hurts me…"

"How so?" He kept his eyes on me, though dodging logs and branches that were on the ground.

I sighed. His questions were never going to end I was sure of it. "When a vampire is Turned, the characteristics you get depend on your sire. Not a definite pass of the trait, but it does influence how you live. In darkness, or both."

There was a moment of contemplation. Zidane said nothing, only stared up at the darkening grey sky. Then I remembered, the sun had been covered for nearly 250 years, Zidane wouldn't have known what a sunset would even look like.

"Shall I show you?" I asked, not looking at him.

"Show me what?" He turned his eyes to me, the kind and gentle eyes, not gold and terrifying.

"The sunset," I whispered, it had been a while since I had seen it too, I wondered if it would still look as beautiful as it had when I saw it last.

"How can you do that? The air is too polluted," he said questionably. I only smirked as I looked at him, tilting and turning only my head.

"Follow me, human, and I shall show you the wonders of the world that you cannot see." I walked over to a tree, lying my fingertips on it for a brief moment before I started walking again. Zidane followed me closely, I had to hold my breathe uncomfortably so that his smell wouldn't tempt me as strongly as it had been since I got stabbed.

"Do you know much of your family?" I asked, making conversation. There was a feeling that impelled me to do so. Also a feeling that seemed to have my veins flowing with electricity. What was it? I wasn't sure. Excitement?

"Just that my mom's name was Freya, and Father's was Brytt," he commented, sounding a little forlorn.

"They would be proud to know their son is the Angel," I said.

"Maybe…"

From his tone I couldn't help but wonder. "You aren't as happy as you seem, are you Zidane?"

He looked up with surprise. "What give you that impression?" I shrugged.

"It just seems that, like me, you're alone. But unlike me you give off the sense that you are happy to be alone when it's the exact opposite. From where I stand, I see that your childhood was hard as well, getting no attention from the ones you wanted it most." This seemed to have hit the spot.

"How would you know that?" he asked startled. He came to an abrupt stop, me not even a step ahead of him.

"Although I get most of my powers from my father, I can see the past of someone if they are thinking about it, unlike my mother," I replied, looking back at him before starting back on our pace.

"Can you read my mind?"

I thought for slight moment of time before trying it. There was nothing but darkness that I could see. Suddenly there was a shock of pain in my head, I could see what looked like red and gold sparks of electricity. I gasped, grabbing my head.

"What's wrong?" Zidane asked in alarm, wrapping his arms around me before I could fall.

I laughed dryly. What an idiotic thing for me to do. "No I can't read the mind of a Souler." I pushed myself away from him, the feeling and sound of his heart so close to me made my fangs extend, though I resisted their urge.

"What happened?"

"It was nothing. Your mind is guarded by your Angelic powers as a defense. I just didn't get away fast enough. It hurt…" I started laughing humorlessly. "It actually hurt." The sky seemed to get darker. We needed to hurry. "Come," I beckoned, "Before it is too late."

We walked at a faster pace. Not too long after we were at the edge of a dead meadow. It was large and there were a few hills that were higher than the trees. I grabbed a hold of Zidane's hand and pulled him to follow me up.

When at the top I looked up at the sky, breathing in needlessly, letting go of Zidane's hand, the feeling of his warmth quickly leaving my own.

"Now what?" Zidane looked around, somehow finding my hand again, though I barely noticed, I was concentrating.

"Watch the West," I breathed, raising my left hand, fingers spread, toward where the sunset would be.

My seal burned slightly, but at my will the pollution, clouds and air moved slowly out of the way. Soon only a hole started to break in the sky and a stream of light came through. My mark burned more, and the hole became bigger.

I heard Zidane gasp, his hand tightening around mine.

Shortly the hole was large enough you could see the sunset. Yes, it was just as beautiful as before. The colors of the sky were glorious hues of dancing flames. And the sun seemed to be making the oranges, pinks, purples, and blues dance for us. As if they missed being watched. The cold of my skin, which seemed paler in the light, seemed to barely warm from the fading rays.

But the magnificence didn't last long. I started feeling tired, my seal hurting. The hole closed slowly, the colors disappearing and the grey of everything else came back. My hand dropped, I breathed heavily, then looked up at Zidane.

He watched me, amazement shown in his eyes. He smiled so gently at me. There were no words to say.

We were just there together, and that was enough.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 - Just A Thought 想法**

When the evil of the grey sky had eaten away the color I had been able to unveil, it got darker, as if it killed the sun and all the life it carried with it. Soon the world would turn completely black.

"What do we do now?" Zidane asked urgently as we headed down the hill into a flat spot of the meadow.

"Why? Are you afraid of the dark?" I asked amused.

Zidane laughed nervously. "More like the things that live in the dark are what I'm concerned about."

"Haven't you ever had to stay outside of your safe houses?" This was logical, humans went on raids for a few days, wouldn't they have to stay outside knowing there was danger around them?

"I'm not a scout for humans, I'm a raider. Scouts go find where there might be something, come back, then we go and take what we can. Well ones that are strong but would still be able to travel fast." He smiled triumphantly.

If my vision wasn't advanced his face would be out of my sight. The planet was turning black. I could hear creatures all around us starting to stir. And with their stirring came the immortals. They needed to feed, even though they could hunt during what could be called day it was easier since animals would come out at night more. The globe had turned completely nocturnal.

I wondered what would happen if the world turned back to what it once was. Everything would have to adapt once more. But perhaps it would be a better life for everyone, everything. There just might be the possible hope that this ridiculous war might end. I looked at Zidane. Maybe.

"It's about time to get used to it," I stated, walking forward, realizing that his hand was holding mine. I was in awe that it hadn't froze off yet, of course, our gloves could help prevent sudden frost bite. I stopped, looking down at them. My hand was smaller than his, and seemed to be devoured by his own. It was such a strange thing to feel his long, thin fingers wrap around my hand.

"What?" Zidane asked confused, he couldn't see, which I assumed was the excuse to hold my hand. Disgusting. I would have let go, but I was sure he'd get lost or hurt. Humans were so clumsy it was humiliating.

I shook my head, though he couldn't see, letting the thought go. We wouldn't get anywhere during the night. I sighed leading him through the dead forest. Seeing a few animals crossing our path to get away from us, from me. Deer, which had turned grey and had thicker coats. Birds who's talons had gotten longer and feathers that were more stiff than soft. Insects of the ground were larger than before, their exteriors hard as rocks, and their mandibles seeming more deadly. Not too far away I could hear a pack of actual wolves on the hunt. But all these things Zidane took no note of.

To me it seemed as if these creatures adapted quite fast in 300 hundred years. Perhaps science wasn't as accurate as believed. These organisms evolved much quicker than a million years. But looking at humans and their pathetic existence, it was a wonder how they were still alive in a world such as this. They didn't seem to change like the animals, at least not as noticeable as them. The air that was toxic to humans didn't effect the animals. They seriously needed to do some catching up.

There weren't any good places to hide. Everything was dead, which also got me to question how herbivores survived, but got me to leave the subject alone. I didn't want to get in-depth about how things worked anymore, I'd leave that mess for someone else to figure out.

We came across an old dead tree. Actually pretty large considering it hadn't fallen apart yet. At the bottom of the trunk there was a large whole that had been dug out. Most likely from the wolves I heard not too long ago.

"Good enough," I said quietly, stepping inside. "Watch your head, Zidane."

"What?" Before I could respond Zidane's forehead came in contact with a root that came across the entrance. His hand was still in mine, but there was no way he was dragging me down with him, so I let go. No harm done, he only fell on his butt. I sighed, but he started laughing. "Wow."

I moved to the back of the hole. It was like a cave under a tree. The ceiling was just high enough for me to stand up straight. Realizing this I looked back at Zidane who started to stand. "Careful, it's a little short for…" He hit his head on the ceiling, kneeling down he held his head. "…you."

"Well a little light would help missy," he said, not sounding as irritated as I thought he'd be. "I can't see as well as you in the dark."

Point taken. I held my left hand out. With a breath, a small hiccup of a flame popped in my hand. Slowly growing until it was the size of my palm.

"That's cool," Zidane commented. He moved next to me, sitting against the trunk wall, I sat as well. "I heard that supernaturals could use elements."

I watched the flame as it danced it my hand. The cave floor was covered with grasses the dogs must've collected. Claw marks too from their digging.

"Only some have the ability to use them. Elements are hard to handle if the host doesn't have any talent using them. They can even kill the person or destroy the things around them," I said. As blaze waved around, I could see buildings burning, hear people screaming. I saw a little girl crying while she looked at me, blood splattered all over her.

_"Why?" she asked._

_"Because I'm a monster," I replied, letting go of a head I had decapitated._

"And I'm assuming you have the talent of twisting fire?" Zidane asked, snapping me out of my daydream.

"I have the ability to twist all four," I said. "But I don't use them very much."

"Why not? I wish I could do that, I'd be using them all the time," Zidane said.

"I suppose it's because I forget about them."

Zidane chuckled at this. "Forget about them? How can that happen?"

"Because I don't have a need to use them. Why have power that you don't need? Just to make you feel stronger?" I asked. "I don't feel anything having it. It can be used for defense and offense. But why do I need it? Because I can't live normally, that everything in the world wants me dead?"

This silenced Zidane. He watched as the fire danced in my hand. "Maybe…you have all that power so that, as the only of like you, you can live any kind of life you wanted with no worries about obstacles that would get in your way. You know, let life for you flow on its own and if you don't like it, change it." He lifted his own hand, taking off the glove, and slowly moved it over the flame. When he looked at it, there was no sign of a burn.

"Here," I said, "Hold your hand out." He did as I asked. Carefully, I slid the flame from my hand onto his. When I took my hand away it seemed the flame went into shock, it didn't move or flicker like an actual fire, just glow.

"What happened?" Zidane asked. I shrugged.

"It doesn't hurt does it?" I questioned. He shook his head. "Well then revive it, give some incentive to burn or it'll go out."

Zidane looked at me with a very confused face. "How in the world do you expect me to revive a flame that doesn't seem to like me?"

"Elements have personalities you know. Fire takes on the characteristics of its producer in order to burn. Our characteristics are different, so the flame just stopped. And until it runs out of energy I gave it it'll go out unless you give it characteristics from you."

Zidane looked at the flame critically. "I don't know how I'm supposed to do that."

"Do you want the flame to go out?" I asked. He shook his head. "Then give it a reason to keep going. Why don't you want it to go out? Because you can't see in the dark very well? That's enough reason, think about how much that flame means to you…" Suddenly the flame burst like an unexpected burp. Flecks of it flew around before rejoining the main fire. I smiled. "There, now just keep it the size you want it to be. Twisting elements is all about thought."

Zidane watched in amazement as the fire now danced in his hand. He smiled with fascination. Of course he would be able to control fire, he was the Souler, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd be able to control the others as well.

It was unique for supernaturals who were able to control an element. "Producers" were what those who could twist fire were called. "Casters" were those who could twist air. "Benders" for earth. And "Drifters" for water. Of course there were also "Combination Creators", but their limit was only being able to control two elements of their talents.

I didn't know what Zidane and I would be known as. I hated having nicknames.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 - It ****它**

"I'm so tired," Zidane grumbled.

"I don't care," I stated. "I told you to get some sleep but you just wanted to keep playing with fire."

"But it was so cool." He rubbed his eyes.

We had been walking steadily for a while now. Though I had no idea where the human house was, for some reason I was the one being followed. Whether or not I was getting us closer to the destination, I didn't know. But the farther we went the greyer the sky seemed to get. Soon a white blanket was snuggled on the ground.

"Are you cold?" Zidane asked.

"You tell me," I said, lifting my hands and shaking them back and forth.

"Oh right…"

I looked back to see he was buttoning his coat. I turned, walking backwards, holding my hand out to him. He looked at it curiously, taking it without hesitation.

"May fire in your blood keep you warm in the coldest of nights," I whispered. Zidane's eyes widened as he looked back at his hand. Nothing was on it, but it wasn't as pale as it had been when he was cold.

"What'd you do?" he asked, undoing his buttons and rolling up his sleeves.

"Nothing really. You humans are warm-blooded and unable to survive without a constant temperature. I merely riled your ability to use fire into keeping you warm without having to make it materialize."

"Interesting, but couldn't you have told me how to do it myself?"

I hesitated. He was right, he could've done it himself, why did I do it for him? "You're inexperienced with the extent of your abilities. I don't want to explain every little thing to you," I said annoyed, turning my back to him.

The snow on the ground wasn't as white as it used to be. It seemed murky. So dirty the world had become. I wished I could've stayed isolated in my snow capped mountains away from it all.

Suddenly something hit me on the back, exploding into pieces of snow. Not hard, but I was surprised I didn't notice. I looked up at Zidane irritated. He looked around nonchalantly. I let a small growl escape my lips. He looked at me innocently, trying to hold back from laughing and hiding a smile. "What?"

I shook my head exasperated, twitching my fingers. A snowball molded itself behind him. Slowly it floated above his head. My eyes narrowed and it fell on top of him seeming to turn his hair from black to white.

Zidane hollered, startled. Falling back on the ground. I smirked this time. "Hey," he growled, "That's cheating."

I shrugged. "I wouldn't call it that. Just that I'm better than you. Or you could call it talent."

"I'll show you talent," he said. Quickly, he scooped up as much snow as he could, packing it into a perfectly round ball. Ducking behind a tree he threw it blindly at me. I stared after him in speculation. The ball he had thrown at me landed a few feet to my side.

"You call that talent?" I asked. "Well I guess you could if you were trying to hit the ground." I clapped boredly. "Hooray for the human."

Zidane laughed, coming out from behind the tree. "Yeah yeah, so what?" I smirked before turning around.

We walked for a while. Zidane was entertaining himself by trying to throw snowballs at me. But upon my discovery of how annoying snow could be, I dodged them all without a glance. This seemed to increase Zidane's desire to hit me, so he made multiple balls and threw them all at once. This caused me to lengthen our distance from each other. He was persistent, I'd give him that. A few times I retaliated with a larger snow ball than he could make, and dump it on him, though sometimes he'd dodge it in time. Soon, however, his hair was soaked as well as some most of his clothing, yet he stayed warm.

There was an opening at the end of the forest. I froze at the edge, a small growl developing in my chest. Before I could release it, a very large mound of snow fell on me. Startled I looked back at Zidane who smiled. Rolling my eyes I looked back down at an abandoned village, Zidane following my gaze. There was a lot of movement in the shadows.

There was a sudden streak of red on the jacket of a human who dashed across and alleyway to another building. I heard Zidane take a breathe of excitement.

"Raiders," he whispered. Somehow knowing that this would be the end of our trip, he grasped my hand tightly and headed toward them. Sliding down the small hill running toward the houses. I groaned to myself, but followed him silently. I'd just make sure he'd be alright with them, then I would leave.

He walked casually. Like they wouldn't mistake him for something else. He could pull of as a vampire had his skin not been warm and tan. I sighed. They wouldn't mistake me at all though. I was sure they'd try killing me on site.

Zidane stopped in the middle of what seemed to be a courtyard. Looking around at all of the broken windows that had ripped strips of cloth floating in and out of them. The movement I had saw on the hill seemed to have halted. I could hear heavy breathing within the buildings. Quickened heart beats, noises other supernaturals wouldn't have been able to hear because of the blistering wind that had risen. Be terrified humans I don't like you either. Zidane seemed to have noticed all this.

"Hello?" Zidane called out. "It's me, Zidane. Come on out guys, there isn't anything to be afraid of."

There was a moment of cold silence, before I heard a creek on the wood inside the house to our right. We turned to face it. Slowly an older man with a large grey beard came from the doorway. His eyes filled with hesitation and caution, knowing that he risked everything by appearing before us. "If it is so safe, why are you with a bloodsucker?" he questioned, pointing a thick finger at me.

Zidane smiled. "That's why there isn't anything to be afraid of." He glanced at me. "She brought me here. She saved my life from werewolf scouts when I was on a raid for the South-East safe house. See--" He dug a red piece of cloth from his coat pocket, lifting it to show the man. "--I bring peace." He did the peace sign with his fingers.

The man watched us for a full minute without saying anything, not fully trusting Zidane's reasoning, anyone could get a red piece of cloth. His eyes never left me, fearing I might make a move. Tentatively, he started towards us. Carefully examining me before shifting his gaze to Zidane.

"How are you Saul?" Zidane asked cheerfully. The man squinted his eyes.

"Zidane? I haven't seen you in a long time." He recognized. There was suddenly another man coming up behind the older, Saul, I guess. He was taller than Saul and a little shorter than Zidane, who towered above all three of us, but I was shortest. It made me mad, I hated being looked down on. His hair was a fine black too, a few inches longer than Zidane's, it almost completely hid his lighter brown eyes. Though, they seemed about the same age, they looked like they could be brothers, but from their smell, slight differences in looks, and what I knew of Zidane, they weren't.

"Sup Zidane, long time no see," the man commented.

Zidane's eyes brightened. "About a year or so. How's it been Hash? Where are the other guys?"

"Not bad. They're all back at the bunker," he replied smiling. He looked at me critically. I glared back. "Starting to hang with vampires now? Or trying a new romancing thing?" he teased, gesturing to our hands.

Zidane smirked. "Just this one, she's a good kitty." He lifted our hands to his face, rubbing the back of mine against his smooth, warm cheek. I scoffed, he chuckled.

"Why is it you bring this leech here? Is it your pet?" Saul asked crudely.

_It? _I thought. I started to growl lowly before Zidane looked at me worriedly. Squeezing my hand as if he could hold me back if I did anything.

"Heel," he ordered. I looked up at him shocked and confused.

"Heel?" I asked skeptically. "I'm not a stupid dog you moronic idiot." I jerked my hand away from his and folded my arms, glaring at him and the others. Though trying to glare at Zidane was hard, so I glared more at the other two.

Zidane and Hash laughed. "Guess not," Hash commented. All the while I could feel the eyes of the rest of the humans looking out from their hiding places right at me. The cold gaze of the old man never changed.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 - Blackout ****停電**

I stood unwillingly. Held in place, not moving a fraction. Turning into a marble statue as Zidane helped the humans plunder the remains of the village. I didn't know why I stood there, I could've left without anyone even noticing. But I stayed, seized under control of Zidane's words: "Stay here."

They weren't forceful. It was as if he gave me a choice whether to leave or not. The way he said it, however, seemed like he was pleading for me not to go. And so my decline into the stone age began.

The other humans watched me cautiously. Like deer. They stayed as far away as possible from me. Which was fine by me. The farther they were the better. They smelled like rats in a sewer, though some of their clothes seemed new.

"Don't worry about them," Zidane said, walking up beside me. I turned my head to him, finally breaking my stone posture. His eyes seemed exhilarated from finding others like him, this made me feel somewhat forlorn.

"I don't," I stated, pulling my hands from my pockets and crossing my arms. "I would kill them all right now if I wanted."

"Yeah I know, just don't." He smiled knowingly.

"Not all of us are that bad," Hash pointed out, coming up to my other side. He carried a few backpacks that were so filled they looked like balloons. I noticed he wore a worn brown leather jacket with a few tears in it. His shirt was grey as the sky, as were his fading pants that had holes in the knees.

"Like you?" I asked. "You don't know me yet you seem comfortable being around a vampire."

"Yeah, well anyone who saves Zidane's life is a friend of mine." Hash punched Zidane playfully in the shoulder.

"I'm not your friend. And I'm not his either," I denied, pointing my thumb toward Zidane.

"Awe and I thought we were getting along really well," Zidane pouted, faking like he was actually hurt.

"I only let you follow me so that you'd get to the safe house. Now that you've found other humans I can leave." I started walking back to the woods. But before I could even take a few steps Zidane stood in front of me. His eyes troubled.

"What now?" I asked, irritated. He always did this to me. Why I just didn't walk around him I'd never know. Teleporting was an option, but then he could grab onto me since we were close together. I'd end up dragging him to another part of the world, or kill him. They say teleporting humans was risky, since at the other end they were either lost in the proximity of nowhere or had frozen to death.

"If you were going to escort me to the _safe house _we still have a little ways to go. There's nothing wrong with traveling with the others," Zidane stated smartly, smiling, though it didn't touch his eyes. He wanted me to accept, but he wasn't sure if this would work. Much to my disappointment it did. I hated loopholes.

"I was only escorting _you_, not the rest of these pathetic mundanes," I countered, knowing full well I wasn't going to be able to leave.

Zidane thought for a moment. Hash came up to him and whispered in his ear. I could've heard what he was saying, but directed my hearing elsewhere, knowing some things before they're said gets annoying to have it repeated after you already heard it. Zidane then snapped his fingers. "How about this? You stay and escort _me_ while I escort the others. That way you don't have to protect them, just me." Hash smiled with his own kind of gentleness, it only confused me.

The idea was horrible. I didn't want to travel with other humans, I didn't want to travel with Zidane, but he was an acceptation, it was my fault for running into him. I'd end up protecting the rest of them by just protecting Zidane. I hated it, but reluctantly nodded. If they die its not on me.

Just then Saul came up behind both of them. "You'll allow a lowlife bloodsucker to travel with us? We are trying to stay away from things like it, not lead them straight to our only home." His beady eyes glared at me, I glared back. _It'll turn on us when it knows where we are. It'll go back to its leech friends and bring them there,_ he thought.

"If I wanted to do that I already would have without even being seen by you," I said, annoyed, to Saul. "I have no friends to tell, I wouldn't need their help anyway." This seemed to startle Saul as well as confuse Hash and Zidane.

"A mind reading hemophage," Saul stated disgustedly. Zidane looked at Saul then to me before chuckling softly. Hash just smiled more. "You both need to think about this." Saul directed to the others, glancing at me with eyes full of hate every two seconds. This started up an argument of whether they should keep me or kill me. Well try to kill me, and fail.

I watched them boredly. Hash and Zidane fought for me to stay while Saul proudly refused. Slowly, all the sound started to quiet down. I looked around at the humans who were still gathering whatever they could. But I couldn't help but hear a high snapping sound before a loud crack. Looking back at the others, who still argued with vigor, I noticed the sound was only heard by me. I held my hand up, with my index finger and thumb together I drew my hand across the air. This shut the three stooges up.

Wondering what happened to their voices they looked back at me. "I'd just like to say that there are some phage scouts headed this way." I dropped my hand. Saul spoke out immediately.

"I knew it, that thing gave us away," he yelled. All the other raiders stopped in their tracks. Frantic looks and hate in their eyes.

"She wouldn't have told us if she did," Zidane stated harshly. "Where are they? How many?"

"Five." I knew I was the only one who could kill them all. I sighed, turning around.

I heard coughing behind me the same time I sniffed the air. Suddenly, all my senses seemed to awaken to their fullest, my fangs extended as long as they could. I could see every pattern and design of the snowflakes that fell lightly, my vision slowly turning a bloody red that never happened before. Everything's smell seemed more precise. I could hear when the flakes hit the ground. But before I could realize why I turned instinctively and saw Zidane kneeling down, holding his hands against his mouth. I stared in utter horror, yet fascination.

As he coughed, between Zidane's fingers red liquid started squeezing its way through. I smelled the purity of it. Saw the beauty of its color. Heard the luscious melody it made as it trickled in front of me, making red spots in the snow.

Zidane looked up at me cautiously, while Hash tried to help him and Saul froze in place as he watched me. I stared at Zidane, trying to look away, but it was just too tempting. Hesitantly, I took a step toward him. The next were easier and quicker. I stood in front of Zidane, looking down at him with my true vampiric eyes. My seal burned on my hand more than I had ever felt it.

"Koliko?" Zidane said uncertainly. Lowering his hands, I saw his blood dripping from the corners of his mouth. I knelt to be even with him. Taking his warm face between my cold hands. He held as still as he could. Gently, I closed the space between us. Running my lips across his softly, feeling the warmth of his blood as it touched me. Carefully, I licked up from his chin to the corners of his lips. Tasting the most delicious thing I have ever known, the only thing.

Half-way up the other side, realization hit me. I pulled away shocked, falling back. _What have I done!? _I screamed, a shrill that echoed loudly through the village. I grabbed my head, shaking uncontrollably on the ground. I felt like I was burning, like the flames of Hell had engulfed me. My vision started to blur and sometimes disappeared. I could hear things, but they were chopped up so I couldn't put it all together.

"_Koliko!_" I heard Zidane call. I felt my body move, being shaken as if to wake me up. The sharp movements hurt, , it was as if I turned human, I never felt pain like this. There was pressure on my shoulders which I was sure were Zidane's hands, they felt like they were bruising me. My throat hurt from screaming. I could hear other people screaming, though it would go loud to quiet to loud again, some blurry figures running every which way.

In one moment, my vision returned, but my hearing was muffled. I saw Zidane, but it wasn't truly him. His angelic form gripped his sword, slashing at the vampires who finally arrived. Some human bodies lye on the ground dead. With much effort, only my eyes would move for me, I saw Hash kneeling next to me as he watched the fighting.

Zidane fought victoriously, though the vampires didn't die, instead they fell to their knees as their skin changed from their pale colors back to a normal _human_ shade. Their fangs disappeared, as well as their claws. They screamed. Zidane had resouled them.

He stood in the middle of them all, his sword disappearing like smoke. Breathing slowly, he gazed his golden eyes back at me. My vision shook and slowly started to blur. I could see his figure coming toward me. I couldn't feel the burning sensation anymore. I couldn't feel anything. Not even Zidane as he knelt down and picked me up.

"Leave that bloodsucker here, this is all its fault!" I barely heard Saul command.

Zidane only looked down at me. His eyes never leaving mine as they started blurring in and out. This time the gold of his eyes wasn't so terrifying, they held a warm gentleness in them for me. They seemed so familiar.

"She stays with us," Zidane instructed. His voice was smoother than its usual silkiness. It was perfect. It didn't have a demanding tone, but it made you want to obey. "With me," he whispered, so only I could barely hear.

Suddenly, the world fell silent and dark.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 - Denied 否認**

_**Zidane - Third Person**_

He walked tirelessly. Carrying her gently in his arms as if she were a mere baby. His vision was superior, seeing every perfect detail of the lady's skin. Seeing the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed needlessly once every minute out of habit. She looked familiar, yet somehow he only felt that way as he looked at her through his Souler eyes, he couldn't grasp why.

He could hear the footsteps of the others as they marched behind him. Carrying their found goods. The vampires that turned back human tried to get an understanding of what it was like to be human again. They stayed together while the others gladly kept their distance as if they were still bloodthirsty beasts.

"It's foolishness I tell you," Saul muttered. The old man's complaining was driving Zidane to the end of his rope.

"Deal with it," he said. "We're almost there anyways."

"We'll have trouble taking her there," Hash implied. "They won't let you in without her dead first." He pressed a button on a keypad in his pocket to signal the base of their arrival.

Zidane thought about it. Hash was right. "They'll let us in," Zidane stated determinedly, his golden eyes never changing from their serious look. He wasn't going to leave Koliko alone like this.

They reached a clearing. It looked like a normal meadow, but it was filled with landmines. They walked along a shallow trail, careful not to set any off. A hidden hatch in the middle of the field opened up revealing a few older men with guns. One had a rusty looking mustache while the other only had graying hair on the sides of his head.

They saw Koliko instantly and pointed their guns. They let the others pass them with the goods inside, but kept Zidane at gunpoint. Hash stayed with them.

"Let us in," Hash said to the men. They should their heads.

"No one enters, especially those with a bloodsucker," the mustached man said roughly.

"She's not dangerous," Hash argued.

"That don't matter an inch Hash. A leech is a leech, it needs to die." The bald man cocked his gun, aiming for Koliko's head. His gun was one that was stolen from a Vare, it'd kill her in an instant.

"I order you to let us in," Zidane commanded. His voice full of authority.

"Says who?"

"The savior of humanity. The Angel."

_**Koliko - First Person**_

I floated there. In the middle of nothing, feeling nothing. Not doing anything to help my situation, whatever it was. I only hung there in the vast area of darkness. Thinking about how life for me used to be. All the memories of humans I had read the minds of. Smiling imperfect faces at the happy things that happened to them. They were sickening.

I couldn't remember if there ever was a happy moment in my life. There was so much I never got to experience for myself, only through the minds of others. But then I wondered. What was it like to be happy? Anger was the only emotion I had ever felt throughout my life. Indeed, what was it like to be happy?

"_Koliko, come to Mommy."_

What is this?

_I laughed, truly laughed, as I swung on my favorite swing at the public park. Back then I looked as if my age was five, when in actuality I was only one month. My mother, Nanami, stood in front of me, pushing me whenever I came close. Higher and higher, until I felt it was time to jump off. As I flew through the air I felt so free, then finally landed in Mother's loving arms._

"_Again," I said, smiling. She nodded and we did it again. Again and again._

"_Dear, we need to go home now. Papa is waiting for us." She smiled, taking my hand. Her wavy light brown hair swung softly as she walked, so graceful. Her gown, a darker royal purple which matched her eyes, waved against her._

My father…

"_We're home," Mother called out, closing the door behind us. I took my coat off, waiting impatiently by the door to try scaring my father._

"_Welcome," he called back, coming through the door. I pounced, but he was too quick. He lifted me high above his head as we twirled in circles laughing. His musky yet fatherly smell made me smile more._

"_Make me fly, Papa," I said still giggling in his hands. He smiled, letting his arms down, though I stayed in the air. Swaying my arms as if I was swimming and around the room I went, my father keeping close eyes on me. Mother laughed and Father smiled._

_Finally when I got tired, Father set me gently on the ground. "Anyone thirsty?" he asked, looking at Mother. She nodded gently._

_They walked into the kitchen, hand in hand. However, as I was the daughter I was jealous of my mother. So I ran and took Father's other hand. I wanted his attention on me. _

_He smiled looking down. Picking me up when Mother went to pour red wine in two fancy glasses. They said the smell was just right, but to me it smelled horrible._

"_I don't like it," I said, folding my arms._

_Mother laughed. "Of course you don't like it, my sweet. You don't need to drink it like Papa and I do." She took a long light sip from her glass, sighing when it was empty._

"_Well, forgive me, my beautiful ladies, but there is some business I must attend to with my associate," Father said kindly. I frowned. He noticed and kneeled down to be even with me. "Don't worry, I'll come home, then we shall play again." I smiled at the thought, but still didn't want him to leave. "I love you, my dear." He stood hugging Mother before heading out the door. They were my only friends._

Disgusting.

_Then just as the door clicked shut there was a knock. Mother walked calmly as she opened it._

"_Come in please," she welcomed._

Then what happened after that came to me in a burst, flying swiftly passed me like someone hit fast forward, I couldn't keep up with my memories, so I could only hear sentences. Some were chopped up.

"_True is she…" _I heard a man say. _"__--eyes of the Abyss. She will be even greater than I…"_

"_I can't hold her back any longer," _my mother's voice said.

"_We're created in pairs."_

"_I asked you here to help me."_

"_--she would be uncontrollable then."_

Then there was nothing. Only faint memories of pain. Yelling and unknown noises…and my own screaming.

"_Take my hand, I will increase your power."_

"_You will be destroyed."_

"_I have lived only for this day…" -- "…not stay if you do not take my power."_

There was silence. Until I heard a faint echoing voice.

"_I pass to you my wings…God shall take care of you now." The sound, the voice, was so familiar. They seemed to have loved me._

Another rush of memories came to me. This time I was older, the time where my life changed for the worse.

"_What has happened to her?!" my father questioned. "Her ears, and a tail. Do you know what kind of position this will affect me with the vampire and human public? I shall be mocked for having a legendary _disgrace_ as a child."_

"_How dare you speak of her this way. She is still our daughter," Mother said guarding me._

"_I have to get rid of her." Father walked toward me, rage in his eyes._

"_No!"_

I screamed, at least, I thought I did. But the memories stopped. Memories I didn't even know I had.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 - Worries ****憂慮**

_**Zidane - Third Person**_

He held Koliko close while following a guard he didn't recognize down the narrow hallways. Avoiding the hateful gazes of the men and women he passed. They'd never understand. She wasn't a normal vampire. A vampire, yes, but she was special. Different.

Hash followed close behind him. Telling the people to get back to whatever they were doing. Some whispered about whether Zidane was the Angel was true or not. Others about the abomination that the guards let in.

Zidane smirked. Though he wasn't sure whether he could do it or not, being able to control minds gave him some sort of amusement. Not that'd he'd do it all the time, unless necessary. But it gave him an incentive to see what else he'd be able to do. Being the Angel had it's perks.

"Where is the guard taking us?" Hash asked quietly.

"To an isolated room," was all Zidane said.

"What about them?" Hash inquired, gesturing to the five not vampire humans. They followed behind Zidane as close as they dared. Looking somewhat scared of the people, though they knew their chances of becoming vampires again was something to be even more scared of.

"They'll be given rooms near where we're going. Soon they'll be accepted like any other," Zidane stated.

The corridors were like a maze. Zidane had memorized them once when he lived here, but somehow everything seemed to have changed since he was little. The halls turned this way and that way. There never seemed to be an end. Small rooms for families were on each side. As many as they could build.

Finally, the guard turned down a hallway with a few empty rooms on the side and a large metal door at the end. It seemed to darken as they walked toward it. The guard opened the door for Zidane, who passed him into the darkened room.

It was completely bare. No lights in the ceiling to help see, but he didn't need light with his eyes as they were. There was a ventilation shaft to let cool air in, but the room still smelled stale.

"I need a bed in here," he ordered to the guard.

"That leech don't need a bed to sleep on. It can go without."

Zidane glared at the man. "Get a bed in here _now!_" he growled. His tolerance was very low. The fact that everyone was calling Koliko an 'it' made him even angrier. They knew she was a 'she' not 'it'. They all needed taught a lesson.

The guard scurried away reluctantly. But the look on his face made it seem like his body was moving on its own accord.

"She'll be okay here," Zidane said quietly.

"It's the best place for her. Although I'm pretty sure she'd be okay anywhere," Hash acknowledged, walking around the metal room.

Coming back a few minutes later the guard rolled a medical bed into the room. Placing it as far from the door as possible.

Gently, Zidane laid Koliko on the bed. Covering her with a blanket, though he knew she didn't need it. He watched her silently for a few minutes. Watching her closely, hoping she would wake up soon. He worried about her. A vampire being in a coma state. Would she actually die? Or stay that way forever?

He turned upon hearing a familiar voice outside the room. Hash stood talking to another boy around their age, while the group of five decided on their rooms. The man turned to look at him, smiling at the sight.

"Zidane! Hey man, nice eyes," he said. Ryan, Zidane remembered. He was about six foot. His hair short and brown, though his eyes were deep blue. He wore old army clothes and boots. Could've passed off as a soldier if he needed to.

"Thanks."

"Got a vampire, huh? Hash told me about it_--_her," he rephrased, seeing the deathly look in Zidane's eyes at the word 'it'. "Sounds like an experience. And finding out you're the Angel too. Impressive."

"Yeah, well. It helps when you're in a bind," Zidane said, looking back at he door. About to head back inside before Hash grabbed his arm.

"Come on, you must be hungry," Hash insisted, "Days without food has to get a little nauseating." Suddenly the five were there too. Decades without food must of had them bursting with curiosity of what it tasted like now.

Food sounded good to Zidane. Safe houses usually tried growing their own food from seeds they found in villages. Hopefully they'd have enough so he didn't have to take rations. But as he started walking with Hash, Ryan, and the five to the cafeteria, he hesitated before looking back at the room.

The guard took keys from his pocket and locked the steel door. Before he could put them away, Zidane was there and snatched them from his hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" the guard asked.

"When I'm out of the room the keys stay with me," Zidane stated. Knowing the guard had ideas of getting rid of the 'problem' while Zidane was away.

Crossly the guard agreed, his plan having been spoiled.

They headed toward the dining area of the bunker. The room was bigger than the normal rooms. Tables were aligned in rows for people to eat. It looked like a cafeteria of a high school Zidane had raided once. There was a small line of people waiting impatiently to get their food.

Ryan gestured for them to follow him. Taking them through the doorway into the kitchen, which, Zidane's hopes were granted, was full of plenty of different food. Vegetables, some various fruit, and meat. Zidane got two plates full for himself while the others only got one, they all sat at the corner table of the cafeteria.

"So are you stuck like that or can you change back?" Hash asked curiously, since Zidane's eyes were still gold and menacing.

"I can change back, but I don't want to. The last time I was like this and changed back was because I saw what I could do," he paused, remembering how he had slid his sword through Koliko. "Now I want to figure out the extent of it." He went back to gorging down his food.

Ryan watched in awe as Zidane went back into the kitchen and brought out two more plates. Each time he finished he went and got more, but each time with a new plate. "The dishwashers that are scheduled for this week are going to hate you," he laughed. The plates piled high around Zidane. Hash watched in awe too.

"Where's Xavier?" Zidane asked between bites. The question made Hash stiffen and Ryan avert his gaze. This made him dread the answer, but he asked anyway. "What?"

Hash looked down sullenly at the table. "Xavier was taken hostage by vampires a few months ago when we were out raiding…" The answer hurt, making Zidane lose his appetite. Xavier was another of his best friends, now he was gone. The subject was dropped.

Taking all 16 plates he had used to the sink in the back, he brought out a medium sized metal bowl with hot water and a cloth before they all started walking back to the isolated room. Now called the 'Vampire Dorm' as they heard whispered among the people they went by.

And old woman stopped them. "You be sure that you watch her at all times," she said gruffly. "We don't want a loose phage running around."

"She won't be any trouble," Zidane replied dully. Tired of hearing peoples prejudices. He stepped passed her irritably.

It was a few minutes before the silence started to seem awkward. "What happened before?" Hash queried. "You were fine one second, the next you were coughing up blood."

Zidane hesitated, something about it seemed the tickle his memory, but he couldn't grasp onto it. "I don't know, it's the first time that's ever happened," he lied, rubbing his chin, forgetting that there was blood that had dried there.

"Are you sick?" Ryan asked, putting his hand on Zidane's shoulder.

He shrugged. "I don't feel sick."

"Maybe you should check in with the doc," Hash suggested.

They were close to Koliko's room now. Zidane started getting more anxious so he quickened his steps and lengthened his strides. Getting the keys out of his pocket so he could just unlock the door without having the frustration of looking for the right key.

Sliding the key inside the lock, there was a silent click as it pulled back the bar that locked it. The guard took the key away from him as soon as he opened the door. Seeing the chair the guard was sitting in, he grabbed it.

Zidane didn't look back at the his two friends. "Maybe later," he said, before disappearing into the dark room and closing the door.

Hash and Ryan watched as the guard eagerly relocked the entryway. Their feelings for not hating the immortals had worn off on them from Zidane. So they wanted this vampire that Zidane seemed to hold so dearly to live. But they didn't worry so much about her. They worried whether or not Zidane was going die.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 - Everyday Life ****日常生活**

The was barely any noise in the room. Sometimes there would be an echo from somewhere outside. But mostly the only noises were Koliko's and Zidane's breathing. Hers much slower than his however, which worried him even though she wasn't a human who had be watched to see if she was still breathing. Now and then as he watched her, her breaths seemed to come slower and slower, but as long as she still breathed needlessly he'd know she was still alive.

After going into the room, Zidane never left unless he needed a break. Hash would watch her until he got back. When he needed to eat, Hash or Ryan would bring him a meal. His hair grew longer, and became oily since Zidane never wanted to go to the other side of the bunker to take a bath. Eventually though, Hash brought him a larger bowl of hot water, a cloth, a towel, and a black change of clothes so his not-so-white ones could finally get washed.

He washed in the room next door. Having been forced by Hash and Ryan. They were great friends for looking out for him.

Zidane stayed in his angelic form. Practicing to see what he could do while he waited for Koliko to open her black eyes. Or would they still be the bloody red like before? Whichever. It didn't matter. As long as she would wake up he'd be happy.

He found that he had the ability of telekinesis like Koliko, but he could barely use it since he didn't know how to control it. Maybe Kol would give him a few pointers. Kol. Yeah a nickname would be nice for her. That is, if she was a nickname kind of person.

Hash would sometimes come and watch while updating Zidane about the five. "Ryan's taken a liking to them." He smiled. "He's showing them around and introducing them to some of the people. I'll bet that pretty soon they'll move their rooms somewhere else."

Zidane kept training, concentrating. "Good for them. Acceptance. It's good."

"You should take a break. You look really exhausted," Hash commented, concern filling his voice.

"I'll be ok. I've almost got it figured out." Which was a lie. Zidane had been working himself to the bone. Sure things were easier to do as he kept training. But with every success it took its toll. Driving Zidane to the point of collapsing when he stopped, his body trying to force him to sleep. Though he never gave up.

One day he experimented with Producing. The fire came more easily to him than it had before. Most likely since his powers came from his angelic side. Later he swished the water around in the washing bowl. Finding that simple as well. Not too long after was he molding dirt into different shapes by just looking at it and making air move around the room faster than it was coming from the vent, which was nice since it freshened up the stench of the place.

At night when he wanted to sleep he was restless. Thinking Koliko would slip away while he slept. Everyday when Hash would come see him he noticed the darkness under Zidane's eyes kept getting darker. Finally, worried Zidane was overexerting himself way too much, Hash slipped a sleeping pill into a bowl of soup when he came to give him his dinner.

"You really should get some rest," Hash insisted. "And go see the doc. You said you would, but that was weeks ago. You can't just let it pass by so easily."

"I'm fine," Zidane grunted, taking the bowl of beef stew and sitting in his chair beside the bed. It smelled delicious. He blew the steam from the spoon and ate a few spoonfuls.

"Please, so I don't have to worry about you becoming a bloody mess," Hash begged. But his efforts didn't seem to phase Zidane into agreeing, even if they were best friends. Looking at Koliko a light went on in his head. "I bet Koliko would worry about you too. I mean, she saved you only to have you die from whatever you got."

This stopped Zidane, his spoon half-way to his mouth. "Fine. I'll go tomorrow, ok?"

Hash smiled triumphantly. "Good."

Zidane rolled his eyes. When it came to Koliko, Zidane would do anything. Whether it be because an unknown familiarity or just because he had grown to like her so much, he didn't know. But Hash noticed and was taking advantage of it.

When his bowl was completely empty Zidane couldn't help but feel extremely tired. He couldn't make himself stay awake. Sleep beckoned him no matter how hard he tried to resist. Slowly his eyes drooped. His vision of Koliko blurred out and darkness consumed him.

_He stood there. Surrounded by white. Wearing complete white. Everything was white. Even his wings. Zidane's hair was able to fall over his eyes, but it wasn't black, it was blonde, gold, transparent looking. He looked around again. Not anxious, his feelings were calm. As if everything were normal_

_But his dream skipped around so he couldn't make sense of it like most dreams do._

"_What's your name child?" He heard himself say._

"_Koliko," said a young girl that suddenly appeared before him. Her hair wasn't as long as it was when she was older, it only came to the middle of her back, though her eyes were still as black. But her tail was gone, and her ears were normal._

Before the dream could continue Zidane awoke. The room was dark still, but he knew he had slept well. Even if his dream was short.

Koliko's voice echoed in his ears. He didn't remember anything else, just her voice in his dreams. The beautiful sound of it. As if she were an angel instead of a vampire.

There was a knock on the metal door. The sound reverberating through the room dully.

"Come in." There was the sliding noise of the lock before Hash opened the door.

"The doc is waiting for you," he said. "I'll watch her." Hash came into the room casually. "He's down the hall to the left." Zidane sighed. Looking at Koliko's figure once more before getting up.

Zidane found an older man inside a medical room. He was well into his 70's but he still seemed very skilled and articulate. Bone saws, rubber gloves, syringes, needles, and various other tools Zidane had never saw before were hanging on the walls, sitting on the tables and inside cabinets.

"Sit here," the man said, pointing an old finger to a table. Zidane obeyed sliding onto it easily. The man grabbed the stethoscope around his neck and up the plugs in his ears. Walking confidently over to Zidane and setting the round end over his heart. Listening to it for a few seconds before moving over his lungs. "Breath deep_--_" Zidane did so. "_--_Exhale slowly."

When the doctor was done making his observations on his chest, he took a tool and looked into his eyes and ears, then took a popsicle stick and looked around his mouth. Zidane didn't know why it was necessary, he felt a little awkward. But when the old man was done he took a deep breath.

"I'd like to x-ray your chest." Zidane didn't object. The man pulled out what looked like a framed piece of glass. But when he held in in front of Zidane's chest it turned black and showed everything under his skin. After a few minutes of scanning through every little inch on the screen, the doctor sighed. Within another boring moment the doctor took a sample of Zidane's blood, the puncture of the needle healing up instantly, and checked it everyway possible.

"So what's the verdict?" Zidane asked.

"You're heart is doing well. You're eyes are very good, as well as your ears. There's nothing wrong inside your mouth either," the doctor commented, smiling.

"So what about my lungs?"

At this the doctor grew silent, the smile disappearing. Taking all his tools and washing them the sink, which water came from deep under the bunker from an underground, unpolluted river. He didn't say anything for a few minutes. Only paying attention to his medical tools.

"Sir, what about my lungs?" Zidane said sternly.

Once again the doctor sighed, rubbing his temples. "I…don't know," he said slowly. "Your lungs have a film of blood inside of them that I've never seen in a patient before. Also it seems like its getting thicker and if it does then you cough it up. Basically, you're going to drown and suffocate in your own blood."

Zidane took in the information well. He didn't feel scared, instead the tickling feeling of a memory came again, but he couldn't grasp it either.

"But the bad news is," the doctor paused. "I took your sample of blood and tried using a form of a vampire's healing poisons against it. Even your own blood which has its own healing properties isn't fighting against this…" He paused. "I'm sorry Zidane there's no way to cure it."


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 - Forgotten 忘記了**

_**Koliko - First Person**_

_I couldn't feel anything. The world around me was black. There was no sound, no smell. It was as if I was dead, but I wasn't._

_This place was endless. I hadn't lost my sight, but all I could see as darkness. I didn't move, just stood in the middle of the emptiness._

_Suddenly, I felt like I was falling, but I wasn't scared, this was an abyss._

_Below me I saw hundreds of pale hands and arms splattered with blood reaching up. Some seemed to have been torn from their bodies. Others were still attached, some to a head that had the top half cut off. There were also skulls, angry and sad. Their jaws open as they looked at me. Behind them was what seemed to be fire._

_Two things then came to my mind:_

_1. I was dead. And if hell did exist I was well on my way there._

_2. I was dreaming. But how could I be dreaming, if I never slept?_

_When I was close enough, the hands grabbed a hold of me. They dragged me down, until I was surrounded by hands and skulls, bodies and legs. All grabbing at me. Pushing and pulling, even biting._

_I kept my eyes closed. I deserved this, I wasn't scared._

"_Koliko," a voice said, sounding oddly familiar._

_At first I made no notion to move. My mind, I was sure, was just playing tricks on me._

"_Koliko," the voice said again, beckoning me. My eyes opened slowly._

_The cold, pasty feeling of the bloody body parts was gone. As well as the objects themselves._

_The black abyss I was in was no longer there. Instead, everything was white._

_Standing before me was a figure of a man. His hair was golden, though the white around us made it look white and transparent. His eyes the color of heaven. Large white wings appeared behind him. Even with all these differences, his face was Zidane's._

"_Do you like him?" he asked._

"_Who?"_

"_The one who was created for you."_

"_Created for me?" I inquired. This mind trip was really getting strange._

"_Of course. Ever since you annihilated the first, they have been perfected, each one after the other, but you destroyed them all. Until this one."_

"_I'm afraid I don't understand."_

"_Don't worry, you will soon." He walked, more like floated toward me, taking my left hand and examining it. "I see you still have this."_

"_Still? What do you mean by that?"_

"_It seems to be breaking… You must have grown very strong for it to have cracked," he said, amused, ignoring my inquiries. "Yes, even stronger are you now that you have tasted purity. But it will not release until you are ready."_

"_Who are you?" I asked with extreme agitation. No longer could I know whether this was reality or not._

_He only smiled. "I am Zidane's angelic side." He let out a soft breath. "How our lives have crossed." Still holding my hand, he caressed the side of my face. "How I have missed you."_

_I took in a breath at his last words. "What are you talking about?"_

"_You must figure the rest out on your own." He looked around him. "We will see each other again." Then, leaning down to my ear he whispered, "Time to wake up Koliko." Before everything was sent into a swirling down pour, I thought I felt his lips so delicately touch mine._

I opened my eyes slowly. My real eyes, everything was so…not dream like. I was in a small room, lying on what seemed like a medical bed. The room was dark, no windows, just solid darkness. Only a door as the exit. But I didn't need light to see of course. I was a predator, a monster.

I sat there a moment. Wondering how I got here in the first place, before I remembered my first taste of blood.

Looking down, I saw Zidane. His head lying in his arms as he slept hunched over next to me. I couldn't help but smile faintly at him. He looked different. His hair was a little bit longer and his clothes weren't dirty like I had seen them last. As I looked at him I knew I would never be able to leave, not easily at least.

His heart was beating a slow rhythm I could listen to forever. The scent of him filled the room so strongly I never wanted to leave. A feeling came over me that I couldn't recognize. My urge for his blood was barely manageable now as I tried to restrain my fangs.

Carefully, I slid off the opposite side of the bed. Walking silently over to him. With extreme caution, I lifted him, not with my powers, just me. He seemed as light as a feather. Tenderly I laid him on the bed, covering him with the blanket I didn't need.

I could hear footsteps outside of the metal door. It was locked, even though I could've easily unlocked it, I left it that way. There was no other place I could be but a safe house for humans underground. And there was no where else for me to go.

Turning, I took the chair Zidane had been sitting in and put it against to the wall. I sat. Leaning back on two of the chair legs, while tapping my fingers on my leg to the beat of Zidane's pulse.

_Figure it out the rest, huh?_ I thought, my mind racing with the image of the angelic Zidane. _He seemed to have known me, yet, I know nothing of him. _I looked at Zidane's sleeping form. _And he doesn't seem to know me at all. But they are both the same person. Aren't they?_

I grabbed my head in frustration. This was going to annoy the hell out of me. So much of everything was confusing. Life used to be so simple for me. Now I couldn't even figure mine out. No wonder I had isolated myself all those years. Getting involved in the wonders of how the world has changed and what it could change into. I just wanted to be left alone.

I stood walking back and forth in the room. Contemplating, but nothing I could come up with would make any sense to anything I had saw while in my dreams. Everything came at me in such a rush nothing had made sense.

"Stupid, no good, idiotic, dumb…" I ranted, still walking back and forth. Suddenly I ran into something. Zidane stumbled back a little bit before catching himself. "Zidane!" I exclaimed, honestly surprised. I hadn't heard him, I was too caught up in my own thoughts.

He said nothing, though I could see some form of happiness in his eyes, which still glowed of molten gold perfection. Unexpectedly he pulled me up to him, wrapping his arms around me. Zidane nestled his face in my hair, all the while it seemed as if he tried to hold me closer than I already was.

Shocked by the subtlety from him, I didn't do anything. Though I wanted to pull back so much since my lips were almost touching his neck. His blood called to me so much stronger than before that my fangs extended before I could resist. I wanted it. I craved it. My seal felt as if it were a pulsing wound. But my body wouldn't move. Somehow standing here seemed so right to me. However, I made no notion to move, just in case I might lose myself to this strange bloodlust feeling.

I didn't bother holding my breath. I inhaled his scent deeply, letting it hypnotize me into a world of bliss. My senses burned adoringly to everything that I held in my arms. Was this what it was like for the others? How they felt when they smelled blood that was as beautiful as this? No…never blood like this…this was an Angel's blood.

_My blood_, I claimed. No one else would ever have it.

I felt wonderful being next to Zidane. He calmed my whirling thoughts. And even if there was a part of my past that I didn't know. It would be alright. As long as I could be with Zidane. It would be alright…

Wouldn't it?


	15. Chapter 14

_Sorry for taking so long to update. There's been a lot of things happening. This chapter isn't much, I'm trying to get the wheel turning again. I usually tell updates about the story in my profile just an FYI. Enjoy._

**Chapter 14 - Hidden ****掩藏**

It was extremely difficult for me to go against my instincts. Being in a bunker full of stupid mundanes wasn't good on my health. Luckily, though, I had my own enclosed room which I chose to stay in for the time being. However, whenever I was alone for a few brief minutes, it seemed like eternity. For every time I would start to hear the instinct of my evil vampiric side start to speak. The side I had calmed when nearly 600 years ago.

_What's a few human lives to gain peace?_ It asked. _Wouldn't it be nice to hear their screams? It would only take but a few seconds if you'd just let go._

I shook my head, trying to get the voice to silence. But nothing worked. "Shut up," I yelled, holding my hands against my ears.

_Just let it all go, Koliko. How nice it would feel,_ my instinct beckoned. Slowly I started to feel my sanity slipping.

_I will not kill in front of Zidane,_ I declared, but knew it would be only a matter of seconds before I lost the war within myself. Luckily enough, the door to the lock inside the metal door slid open and a stream of light spilled across the floor.

I expected Zidane to show up, concern or worry in his eyes that seemed to have stayed gold. Instead, Hash walked into the room with the look I thought would be on Zidane.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Well, seeing as I was curled up in a ball in the farthest corner as far as I could manage, I guess there was something wrong… But as soon as I saw him, heard him, the voice disappeared and I could barely remember a thing.

"I'm not sure," I told him, standing up and brushing off some dust.

"I heard you yelling clear down the hallway." The look in his eyes never changed. I only shrugged, not remembering anything of significance. He seemed to relax, but not much. In his hands he held a plastic bag that wanted to rip from whatever it held. "Well, come with me then." He held his hand out to me.

I only looked at it. Did he really expect me to go with him? Through hallways humans walked in? No, I didn't think so, this room was just fine for me.

When Hash saw the hesitance he said carefully, "I'm taking to you the showers so you can get cleaned up." Now that he mentioned it. I looked down at myself. My shirt was torn and bloody, as well as my pants, and the end of my cloak had ripped and started to fray. Which was a disappointment, I liked that cloak. But I was glad to see I hadn't been changed by anyone. At least I got some respect. I nodded, but didn't take hold of his reaching hand, I just walked beside him.

He smiled as we started to leave. Walking through the maze of hallways where I could feel daggers and stares all pointed toward me. I could feel my voice coming back into my head.

"Where's Zidane?" I asked, finding some way to distract myself. Which worked, I started to feel my full sanity.

Hash seemed hesitant, but answered quickly to cover up. "He's sleeping. Ever since you were in that coma he hasn't had a decent snooze, so he's in a room like yours away from everyone." I thought about it. I wasn't that important. I was a vampire, not meant to be important.

"How long was I out for?"

He thought about it for a minute, trying to calculate the number. "About two months I think. I don't know, calendars are hard to come by."

We talked as we went. Hash telling me about how Zidane had stayed in Angelicacy and practiced with his powers. Before I knew it we were at the entry of a room that seemed like a giant bathhouse.

The floor was tiled, the air steamy, and there was a wall which split into two different halls. Like men's and women's bathrooms with no doors. I walked down the side that was clearly marked _WOMEN_, the room was like a girl's locker room in a high school, no privacy. There were a few people who were finishing, though as soon as they caught sight of me they seemed to vanish down another exit as quickly as possible.

"Here take this," Hash said. I looked back at him, noticing he held the plastic bag toward me. "A change of clothes and I stole some of the good shampoo from the storage room." He smiled. I tried returning it. "I'll be here when you get out."

"Thank you." I took the bag and walked into the slight fog. There was a room for changing so clothes wouldn't get wet. I took out the cleansers and left the rest inside, not caring that the clothes I wore got damp.

I didn't like the open space of the showers, I've always been a private person. But I was pretty sure the humans who saw me would be sure to tell everyone not to go to the showers or else the vampire would drown them. Which was pretty much true now that I thought about it. I hadn't drown a human before.

So, ever so hesitantly I slipped out of my mangled clothes, setting the bottles of shampoo and conditioner on the ground. Turning the hot water handle, which squealed so loud it hurt my ears, all the way on. I was instantly sprayed by heat I couldn't feel. My ears twitched as water ran over them. I know, I was something of a cat, but water didn't bother me. I rinsed out as much dirt, grime, and blood from my hair. Scrubbing down until there wasn't a speck left on me. I snaked my tail around the shampoo bottle and squeezed a gracious amount onto my head. Lather, rinse, repeat, except this time with the conditioner.

When finished I went into the changing room. Grabbing a towel and drying off. As I pulled out the clean clothes I noticed something about them. They were white. Great. Black as always my color, not white. But, pushing my thoughts aside, I put them on. The pants were somewhat baggy, but fit well (after tearing a hole in them for my tail to slip through), and the shirt was a tight tank top of which I wore a man's dress shirt, unbuttoned, over. Typical tomboy-ish look.

When I went out the doorway I saw Hash leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. I swear he could pass off as Zidane's brother. His hands were in his pockets and he looked like he could just sleep right there. But as if he could feel my presence he looked over at me, taking in the somewhat drastic change in appearance. "Wow, you're clean," he commented.

I didn't say anything. Just handed him back the shampoo's. I did what I was supposed to, now I wanted to get back to the room. As if on cue, Hash started walking back the way we came.

It was silent, but I was okay with it. Somewhat. I needed distraction, because I could just hear the heartbeats of humans in doorways or down different hallways. Suddenly, my wish was granted. A man, who was dressed in army clothes, had short brown hair, and blue eyes came running down the hall at the sight of me, or Hash. But I didn't think he was very popular since I was brought here. There was and excited feeling in the air as the guy approached.

Hash stepped in front of me protectively. For me or that guys sake I have no idea, I was going to assume the guy. "Careful Ryan, jeez, she's not used to being around humans. Especially crazy ones," Hash warned. However, Ryan seemed unfazed.

Ignoring Hash, he spoke to me. "Finally I get to meet you in person. I'm Ryan," he introduced, his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm

"Koliko," I replied dully, noticing Hash had inched as close to me as he could manage.

He laughed. "I know. You're the talk of the house."

"I noticed." I itched my ear boredly. "This place is pretty boring. Its not like you haven't had a vampire here before."

"Well yeah, but they were bodies we found. You're the first live one."

"What an honor," I said sarcastically.

Ryan smiled, showing a row of dazzling white teeth. "I'm glad you finally woke up. Zidane was worried sleepless. What with you being in a coma and the bad news he got from the doc--"

"Ryan." Hash said threateningly. His eyes shot him a death glare.

Now I was intrigued, yet somewhat bothered. "Bad news? What bad news?"

"Its nothing. Zidane just got a check up and found out he had to take pills to catch up on sleep," Ryan covered, looking a little nervous.

"Uh-huh." I looked back and for the between them. Then, without a hint that this was going to be a bad idea, I mentally went into their heads.

At first it was a blur, I thought it'd clear up. Instead it got darker, and the red and gold sparks I had seen before when trying to get into Zidane's head hit me again and again. Not as hard as before, but enough to warn me away. I winced, but tried not to show it.

They were hiding something from me and I was going to know what it was.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 - Talk ****談話 **

Currently, I'm being taken care of by Hash (not that I needed to be). Since, for some odd reason, Zidane refused to see me. I didn't know why. I mean, he was happy when I woke up. But after a few days he stopped coming to my isolation room. He just left. Hash told me it was because he needed sleep. Though I knew there had to be a little more to it than that. But he never told me anything else. So instead of questioning it anymore and getting annoyed from the same answer, I'd just bide my time for the right moment.

I never left the room since I had taken the heatless shower. Although there wasn't anything to do. My mind was utterly bored, until I found very little entertainment of carving the days I'd been there into the wall as if I were in a jail cell. Time seemed endless in the small room. I knew it had been a day when Hash would come to see how I was doing. Sometimes I'd be huddled in the corner trying to keep my sanity, but completely forget how I'd gotten there in the first place.

Sometimes Hash would eat in my room, just to keep me company. Somehow he'd figured out what was wrong when no one was around to distract me from the voice in my head. Not that I didn't appreciate the stimulation.

"How old are you?" I asked him one day.

I was lying on the medical bed which as deemed contaminated by outside personal, so I got to keep it. Hash was sitting in a fold out chair humans used to use way back when for sunbathing. It was like an antique since humans had successfully found a chemical that could be sprayed on any shade that seemed to be able to last forever.

"Eighteen, almost nineteen," he replied, lifting a spoonful of tomato soup to his mouth. "And if memory serves, you're eighteen going on forever."

I kept my eyes on the ceiling, pretending to draw pictures on it with my tail. "I suppose. It's not a thing I've kept track of since it has no meaning." Hash didn't say anything. The silence was oddly comfortable, which made me feel awkward. "Are you the same age as Zidane?"

"He's nineteen, but only born a month or so ahead of me. We grew up together. Some people thought we were brothers, even though we're in no way related." He laughed a little. "Kinda hard to believe when we look so much alike."

"I would've thought the same thing just based on looking. But the smells of your blood was different, so I guessed not."

I felt him look over at me, but I just kept staring straight ahead. "You can tell genetic variations just by smelling blood?"

I nodded, pulling my hands from behind my head and flipped over onto my stomach. "It's not all that great. Comes with the species." He laughed. "For a 300 year old bunker you humans have a lot of necessities here," I pointed out.

"Yeah, it was stocked up before World War III, so say the oldest people here. How it all lasted 300 years I'll never know."

"Humans did well in advancing their technology. Making things last was the top of the list when they heard suspicions of another war." I shrugged.

When Hash was finished with his soup he stood and headed toward the door. Knocking for it to be unlocked. A complete waste of time if you asked me. It wouldn't be that hard to escape. "I'll be back later," he said.

"I'll be here," I replied. "I think." He smirked before closing the door behind him.

This went on many long, boring days. Hash would come in. We'd talk. He'd leave. I grew accustomed to his daily visits, though each time I wished unconsciously that Zidane would be the one who walked through the door. Each time Hash came in he acted more and more gentlemanly, and sometimes like Zidane for the three days I'd spent with him outside.

One day while I was carving spirals into the wall I heard running coming down the hall. The lock slid open, and I looked boredly toward the door. To my surprise, Ryan burst into the room out of breath, but smiling mischievously and laughing. Not two seconds later did Hash come running in too, his eyes glaring. Oddly a few long noodles were hanging around his shoulders.

I stood up slowly. Which apparently was a bad idea. Ryan ran behind me for cover. "Save me Koliko, he's a mad man," Ryan directed, pointing his finger over my shoulder at Hash.

"I am not, stop acting like a kid. You're sixteen years old." Sixteen? Really? He certainly didn't look it.

I was momentarily confused. "Wait. What happened?"

Hash, dropping his glare, looked at me gently. "Ryan poured a bowl of noodles over my head."

Ryan laughed harder. "You should've seen his face. It was price--AAAAAAAH!"

Hash lunged past me toward Ryan, but missed by a few inches. Which only made Ryan laugh harder and Hash more annoyed. Now Ryan stood in front of me and Hash behind.

"Come on, Hashy, you got to admit it was good," Ryan pleaded between laughs.

"You wasted perfectly good food. It doesn't just materialize, Ryan."

"There's plenty more. Besides there's a raid going on right now. They'll bring back other stuff."

"You can't always count that each raid is going to be a good one. They may not make it back at all."

"You're being such a spoil sport," Ryan complained. He turned to me and smiled. "Koliko make him lighten up."

I looked back at Hash and shrugged. "I'm Switzerland." They both looked at me questioningly. I sighed. "Switzerland. A neutral country during a war." Obviously they didn't teach history to anyone anymore. It was all just about survival.

"Oh," they said together.

I saw Ryan start to inch toward the door when I was talking. Without a second thought he winked at me and took off out the door laughing. Hash growled "Come back here" before he too disappeared out the door with smile back at me.

I walked toward the door. Looking down the hall before spotting the guard asleep on a metal chair. _Good work_, I thought. Everyone could blame him for letting the vampire escape. I sighed again, thinking about Zidane. I wouldn't get anywhere with all the humans around. I reached out, grabbing onto the handle and pulled the door shut. The lock clicking solidly closed.

The room returned to the dark. I paced back and forth. Entertaining thoughts of how I would be able to find Zidane. I stopped. Why was I thinking of him? He's my enemy. _An enemy who saved you_, a voice I hadn't heard before said in the back of my mind.

_An enemy who could destroy you if you do not do so first_, the familiar instinctual voice countered.

I started pacing again while the voices argued. I slammed my fist against the wall. "Leave me alone," I commanded. "Go _now_!"

Instantly my head was clear and I felt dazed. What happened? I backed against the closest wall I was near. Leaning against it and sliding to the floor. Insanity would win over time no matter how hard I fought to control it. I closed my eyes. I had to get out of here. But something kept holding me here in this bunker full of humans.

I had to see Zidane again. I had to find him. My head fell back, hitting the wall. My ears twitched from the vibration. My eyes opened in subtle realization. I turned onto my knees. Hitting the wall softly and hearing hollow reverberations from it.

I knew how to find Zidane.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 - Glanced ****掃視**

Of course, like all plans, they are put on delay. My delayers would be Hash and Ryan. Whom decided we should go on an exploration of the bunker. I wasn't at all thrilled. We went down hall after hall. Each one holding only the smell of humans. None had the scent of Zidane anywhere.

I was, nevertheless, disappointed. Being dragged around just to travel never ending tunnels was not on my list of things to do. Hello? Vampire here. Besides, the fact I couldn't find Zidane was frustrating.

Apparently Hash was still annoyed with Ryan. Though they seemed to be over it by the way they were joking with each other. Hash was currently making fun of Ryan's height, but Ryan was good spirited about it and asked how Hash could see with his hair in his eyes. Personally I was thankful they didn't turn their teasing toward me. I'd kill them both… Okay maybe not but they'd regret it one way or another.

"I guess I should get it trimmed," Hash commented playing with a strand of black hair. "Zidane's has got as long as mine."

At the sound of his name, I perked up. "Speaking of Zidane," I said nonchalantly. "Why don't you take me to wherever he is in this bloody abyss?" From their silence I took it as a no. Well damn, I tried. "I'll find him eventually," I said quietly, to no one particular.

They stayed silent. Well I didn't mean to shatter the boringly wonderful brother-like moment. I shrugged it off, they're the ones who could make it easier if they'd just tell me.

We traveled along for a while. I swear if I couldn't teleport I'd never find my way out. Soon the awkward quiet I had so generously created lifted and the boys were bickering with each other again. Somehow during this escapade they got behind me, of which made me walk faster to get away from them.

"Koliko!" Ryan cried, running up beside me and grabbing hold of my arm like a little kid. I still couldn't believe he was sixteen, but now I could see the childish side of him. "Hash says my eyes are so blue I look like I'm crying all the time." From what I could tell he was pretending to be upset. I, however, didn't want to be the nurturing person to tell him it was ok like I didn't know he was fooling around.

"He might be right," I stated boredly, not even looking to see if I was right or not. I tried to shrug him off but somehow he kept a hold. Hash laughed.

"See, she even agrees," he mocked, catching up to my other side.

"I didn't agree," I corrected, "I'm Switzerland. Just because I say you might be right doesn't mean you are."

He only smiled. "Still." Ryan stuck his tongue out at him.

"I'm stuck with a bunch of children," I sighed.

"No, this is called 'human life'," Hash said matter-of-factly.

"Well excuse me for never getting the memo." I looked over at Ryan who was practically hugging my arm. Grr. But he was just barely short enough he rested his head on my shoulder and had his eyes closed, somehow I didn't think I could get him to get off. He walked along, never seeming to need to see where he was going.

Suddenly, an older Indian woman stepped out into the hall. When she looked at me she smiled and started toward us. I paused mid-step, making Ryan jerk and open his eyes. As soon as she was in reach she grabbed my free hand and rubbed it caringly.

"I've been looking forward to seeing you," she said. Her thick graying hair was pulled back into a braid and she wore a gray dress. I just stared at her. "Pardon me, my name is Ida."

"I know," I said annoyed. Reading minds really was no fun most of the time.

"I knew you would," she giggled.

"Looking forward to seeing me? Am I really such a phenomenon around here?" I rolled my eyes.

"Oh no dear I've seen you, but you haven't seen me." She smiled knowingly.

"I would remember if there was and Indian around me anywhere. They were either wiped out or turned into werewolves, or the occasional vampire," I stated. My hand was still in hers and my seal started to throb. I drew back my hand narrowing my eyes at her. "You didn't see me physically did you?"

During this whole event, Hash and Ryan got into another war with each other. Clearly, this is why they brought me here.

Ida shook her head. "No I didn't. I saw you by other means."

I tilted my head to the side. "You're a Glancer, aren't you?"

She smiled. "No detail gets passed you does it?"

I waved it off and stood straight. I towered over her. She was only around five feet tall. "So. What kind of Glancer are you?"

"Oh this and that really. I dream most of the time. I can't give specifics on anything, just broad facts. There are a few other things, but Glancing isn't exactly as strong of a power as it used to be."

I crossed my arms. "A human with the power to Glance. It's unheard of, but not impossible I suppose." I scratched the mark, making the slight burning feeling go away. "So what have you to tell me of my future?"

Ida smiled. "I need your hand in order to tell you that, my dear."

I glared at her, but she didn't seem to even notice. Hesitantly, I stuck my hand out toward her. She took hold of it gently. Running her old wrinkled fingers across the seal. Ida stared at my hand for the longest time before her gaze reached my eyes. They didn't seem to be looking exactly at me, more like through me.

"I'm afraid your chances are low child," she whispered sadly, keeping her eyes on something she saw.

"Chances for what?" I asked irritated.

"Happiness," she answered. "I see so many paths for you. So many roads. But…only two will lead you to the happiness you so deserve…" She blinked and her hazel eyes seemed to be hers again. "The chances of you going down one of those roads is close to impossible."

Well nice to know I'm damned for the rest of my life. I would just like to go along my merry way, thank you. I didn't care what road I went down as long as life didn't have to be complicated. "I never liked Glancers," I stated.

Ida smiled, patting my hand. "I knew that too. But I had a dream I was to meet you and tell you something about your life. And so I have."

"Then you won't be surprised when I say I hope you die," I said coldly.

"Not at all." She chuckled, letting go of my hand.

"Well then. I believe there is nothing more to be done here." I turned toward the two bickerers.

"We'll have to meet again sometime," I heard her say behind me. I merely lifted my hand and waved it off.

When I resumed my place in the middle while walking back to my isolation room, Ryan had a hold of my arm once again. This time complaining about something Hash said about him being more of a girl than a man in the basement. Boys and their stupid egos.

However, my mind was elsewhere. So many things were going through my head. Two paths for happiness. Two paths I would probably never walk. I didn't believe in fate, Glancing proved fate didn't exist. Unless you want to go on and argue that fate made you change the course you were taking so you were now on this other road. No. I prefer to say it was my free-will that did that. If fate did exist, I'd be sure to find her and make sure she wished she didn't. How ironic it would be for my fate to be her fate…

I shook my head. Glancers. Being able to see things of the future. They were only broad and vague guesses at what might happen. Nothing was for certain since things changed. Knowing what could happen only made people stress out more. Also so any of the supernatural could tell what might become of them and be able to change what might've happened.

Which is why I killed every one of them I could find.


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 - Outside ****外面**

I didn't like doing what I planned to do. I've done it a few times before, but I felt vulnerable. I wouldn't be able to move, and I wouldn't know what was going on around me. The only times I did it was when I knew for sure nothing was going to happen. But now I wasn't sure if Hash or Ryan would come barging in and think I was in a kind of coma state again.

I took a breath and closed my eyes. Standing in the middle of the room. Concentrating. The sound of my slowing breaths started to echo around. It didn't seem like a small room anymore. I noticed the loss of feeling start to come in slow waves up my body. Everything started to tingle, like when your foot falls asleep. Then everything went numb. Like a jolt of electricity hit me, it felt like the wind had been knocked right out of me. I opened my eyes.

I saw me. Physically; standing completely still like I had been frozen. I wasn't breathing either. I looked down at the me that I was. I was just floating there behind myself. With that I felt the air from the vent flowing freely through me. I sighed.

_Well, let's get this over with_, I thought to myself.

I went to the door, sticking my invisible hand out to touch it. My fingers slipped right through. It felt abnormal having metal inside of me as I passed through it. I felt as if I would suffocate, but I couldn't. My head dissolved to the other side. Looking around I saw the guard was on alert. I didn't need to worry about him though, he couldn't see me. Maybe if I got in his head, but I knew that was a bad idea…at the moment.

I fluttered down the hall. Passing rooms of human families, couples, or some who had to be grouped to allow space. I went passed the medical room where I saw an old man standing in. This who I would assume was the "doc". I flickered over to him.

He put a file he held in a holder on the wall. Turned and starting to leave he passed through me, which felt odd. _Gotta get some of that dinner, I hope Natalie saved me something_, I heard him think. I rolled my eyes.

Floating over to the files I cast wind and if flipped through them. There was nothing there on Zidane. A rush of disappointment washed over me. I hovered around looking in the cabinets and anywhere else I could. I stood between the wall and the cabinet. Well, levitated more like it. I scratched my ear, out of habit, I didn't feel the need to itch it.

I looked down and a small, almost unnoticeable crevice and hole the size of a needle caught my eye. Kneeling down close I saw it seemed like a secret door. Without hesitation I reached my hand through the wood. Instead of feeling more wood or running into a drawer there was indeed an almost empty compartment. Feeling along the bottom there was what felt like a folder. I smirked.

Sliding my head through the door I saw the manila folder which read at the top _Zidane Nesaro_. The disappointment disappeared completely. I blew open to the first page. The darkness didn't bother me a bit, I could see everything perfectly.

Everything on it told his medical history, which was all normal. I flipped threw the pages to the most current. Ryan said Zidane had gotten bad news. And I knew it wasn't because of his lack of sleep. I searched for his diagnosis. The whole paper was filled out with drastic changes. All about his Angelicacy. His blood, which used to be type O, was marked with _N/A_. The date was a few months ago while I was in the coma.

Finally at the very bottom it read in the old man's handwriting:

_Symptoms: Film of blood inside lungs, growing thicker at a consistent rate._

_Diagnosis: Unknown. Drown and suffocation within the next few months. Incurable._

I took in a sharp breath. What kind of diagnosis was this? Incurable? Impossible. Surely the doctor had a vampires venom here in this godforsaken room. Surely Zidane's powers would heal him. I closed the files quickly and stood. My head flying through the top of the counter.

I took off inhumanly through the door and down the hall. Checking each and every nook and cranny I came across. Zidane still had to be here somewhere. Or was he dead. Sleeping. Like Hash and Ryan had said? I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't believe it.

I traveled frantically around the labyrinth of narrow hallways. I could feel my mentality starting to slip from the stress. I had to find him. I had to. Anxiety filled me like water. I flowed through walls and doors, into rooms that only held humans.

I passed an unlit hall I never noticed. Down it I saw Hash coming toward me. His face held pain. I went toward him, but his mind was inaccessible. There was a thin, but powerful invisible field I could see around it I couldn't see physically before. He walked passed me, not noticing as the field pushed me out of the way, sending little jolts of annoying sparks at me. I watched him for only a moment before I headed to where he'd come from.

There was a door at the end of the hall. Without hesitation I flitted through it. It all hit me with a powerful thrust.

Zidane lay on a medical bed like mine. Towels and bowls of water lay around him. The towels were soaked with blood. The water was tinged red. His blood's scent filled the room heavily. Normally, I couldn't smell anything. But his blood reached my nose so quickly I could feel physically that my fangs had extended. Cutting against my bottom gums. My vision physically spilled over to my mentality, making it turn red.

I rushed over to him. Staring in utter shock. His face seemed withered and desperately pale. His heartbeat was extremely slow and weak. Breathing seemed to be as difficult for him as it was slow. What was happening to him?

I reached out my hand touching his cheek without success. The warmth I used to feel radiate off of him wasn't there. I felt so lost and confused. How could this be? Tracing my finger along his jaw line, watching as the pulse in his throat seemed to get slower each second I viewed it.

Suddenly, Zidane's eyes opened weakly. They were a mix between heaven's gold and his own dark brown. They looked directly at me as if I were visible to him.

"Koliko," he whispered. His hand reached up shakily. I froze in surprise as he caressed my invisible face ever so gently.

I let out an unneeded breath I hadn't noticed I was holding. It wasn't noticeable, shouldn't of be heard or felt, but he seemed to detect it.

"Don't worry. It's ok," he said softly.

I shook my head. His hand moving back and forth through my face as I did. _No you won't. Don't lie to me!_ I screamed in my head.

He smiled weakly. "I'm supposed to save the world. But it seems like I'll never get the chance."

His eyes closed and his hand dropped to his side. He coughed and blood spilled from his mouth. The smell of it tempting me.

I let myself fall to my knees onto the floor numbly, not allowing myself to fall through. I let out a shrill and could feel wind blowing extremely fast passed me. With a subtle intense, nervous feeling, I slammed back into my physical self. So hard I had to take a few steps back. I shook my head getting my senses back to normal. Withdrawing my fangs and trying to make my vision change back to normal so no one would see them, but it didn't work, I didn't have time.

I went to the metal door. Pounding against it a little too hard, leaving indents in the metal. "Let me out!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "_Now!_" I kept pounding. Sure I could get out on my own, but that wouldn't help the situation.

Finally I heard the guard yell for someone. Within a few moments the lock slid and I instantly flung the door open. Hash stood just outside. His concerned eyes widened when he saw me.

I took a few steps toward him. The guard held up his gun, fear showing in his eyes. I didn't even look at him as I took the gun and snapped it in half without touching it.

"What's wrong?" Hash asked urgently. "Why are you acting like this?"

I glared at him. "Take me to Zidane," I ordered threateningly. No way in hell was he going to stop me from going on my own if he said no. "_Take me to him now_."


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 - Killed ****殺害**

When Hash didn't answer immediately, I stomped passed him. I didn't know how I was feeling. Angry? Sad? Or scared for the second time in my life? Whatever the feeling I didn't like it a bit.

"Wait, hold on," Hash said to me, grabbing hold of my shoulder but failing to stop me. "You don't know where he is. You can't just barge around looking like this."

I looked over my shoulder and glared at him. "You underestimate my powers," I hissed. "I know exactly where Zidane is. I know exactly what's wrong with him." But I seriously doubted I would be able to do anything for him. Worry flooded over me about that part.

That seemed to make Hash shut up though. He followed trying to keep up with me, who happened to be increasing in speed every second that ticked by. We passed Ryan in the hall. He looked a bit upset when he caught sight of me, but followed us nonetheless.

"You should've told me," I growled.

"We didn't know what you would do. We all decided it was best if you found out a lot later," Hash said.

"As in when Zidane died?" I hissed menacingly. "You know it's his power that is the only thing that is keeping me from killing everyone here. His existence is what's keeping you bloody humans alive. And if he dies you die."

That seemed to silence both of them until Ryan said, "We didn't know."

I rolled my eyes. It didn't matter now. I just had to get to Zidane. Whether it was for bloodlust or something else I'd find out soon. The impulse inside of me just kept driving me to him.

Several of the humans we passed screamed at the sight of me. I snarled at them. Within an instant the halls seemed to be desolate had it not been for the heart beats I could hear within the rooms.

My fangs extended against my resistance. I was nearing Zidane. I could smell his delicious warm blood, yet it started to stale. I pressed myself to go faster, leaving Hash and Ryan behind. Zidane's heartbeat played a slow melody to my ears. My vision turned redder. I didn't believe I'd be able to control myself when I saw him. There was electricity that flowed through my body, making my hands shake and my legs wanted to give way. But I pressed on.

Finally, sight of the darkened hallway appeared. I veered down it, barely having enough time to make the door fly open before I slammed through it. Within an instant I stopped dead in my tracks. My impulse left me and all I could feel was my rising vampiric side.

Zidane's blood in the towels, in the water, on the floor beckoned for me to lick it all up. There were streams leaking from the sides of his lips. I wanted it. I _craved_ it. But I was frozen stiff. I felt as if I would explode, everything inside of me screamed for his blood. His beautiful Angelic blood. But the room also reeked of death.

I took a deep breath. I had to get myself under control lest I kill him. Slowly and cautiously, I took in deep slow breaths. The scent burning my nostrils. My eyes closed reluctantly. I concentrated.

"Koliko," I heard Zidane whisper.

Automatically my eyes opened and looked at him. The gold in his eyes was barely there. I was shocked to notice my vision was barely hinted red, and the scents and sounds all seemed numbed.

He reached a shaky hand toward me. "Come…here…"

As if all the strings that held me still were cut loose I took a hesitant step forward. And another and another before I stood next to him. I glanced at his and took it in my carefully. With a weak pull he motioned for me to sit next to him on the bed. He seemed so much more fragile than before.

_Don't be afraid_, I heard an unfamiliar voice say. My voice. The same one I had heard only once before. _You can save him_. Our eyes locked and he nodded with a weak bloody smile. It seemed as if I could see the four reapers coming to get him as we stared at each other. I could barely motion my head up and down in silent agreement.

Tentatively, I reached my free hand up. Moving strands of wet, oily hair from his eyes. I tried to smile confidently to reassure him, but I don't believe it worked. With my finger I softly pressed his chin, turning his head to the side and exposing his neck. The pulse was slower than it had been. Hesitantly I lowered my head to it.

Nothing in the world would've made me as scared as I was then. Surely I was going to kill him once is blood touched my tongue. I opened my mouth guardedly my fangs fully extended and barely brushing against the bare skin of his neck. My mind was panicking. Zidane would die and it would be all my fault. This man who was my enemy.

_This man who saved you_, the voice said, calming my horror filled mind.

Suddenly there was a surge of determination that filled me. And before it I could back out I felt Zidane's other hand on the back of my head press down with all his might, forcing my fangs to pierce holes into his neck. Blood trickled into my mouth, over my tongue. Oh. My. God. My vision turned a deathly blood red. The determination I felt ripped like fire through me.

I felt something inside my fangs expel a fluid that made the blood stop flowing into my mouth. I could hear his weak heartbeat start to strengthen. His shallow breaths got deeper as he tried gulping down air like he hadn't had any. Zidane's pulse got stronger and stronger. Also his thin blood started to thicken. The pressure from his hand on my head built up, making my fangs dig deeper inside. He winced.

Terrified, I pulled back, but before I could fling myself across the room away from him, the hand that held mine tightened and I froze. I didn't look at him, my vision was still red and horrible. My whole body shook from exasperation. With my other hand I covered my mouth, feeling my fangs cut my skin slightly. I gasped for unneeded air.

"Koliko," Zidane whispered, "look at me."

I shook my head, then felt him move to sit up straighter. Before I could react he took my face into both his hands and turned me to face him. His eyes were pure with heaven's gold as the stared into my bloody red ones. I glanced down at the blood that dried to his lips down his chin. Unthinkingly I leaned forward, licking at it's silky lusciousness until it was gone.

My eyes widened and I tried pulling away, only to be wrapped up in his arms as he held me against him. Running his fingers through my impossibly long hair, sometimes caressing my ears. "Thank you," he whispered softly. I sighed, breathing in his gracious scent. Without a thought my body started to rumble softly. Zidane chuckled.

"What?" I asked, barely audible.

"You're purring," he replied, still running his fingers through my hair. Surprise burst through me. Purring? I've never done that before.

My ear twitched as I heard running feet down the dark hallway. I pulled back, but Zidane kept a hold of my hands, his touch warm. Looking down out the door I saw Hash and Ryan finally rounding the corner. I must've left them far behind, either that or the most scariest thing that happened to me was really short. Either way, Zidane was alive and well.

The two boys came to a skidded stop in front of Zidane and I. Ryan held up a lamp. They took in sharp surprised breaths. Just as quickly as the surprise came, Ryan set down the lamp and jumped at Zidane. His eyes were teary. Hash joined to, hugging Zidane. I sat by myself as I watched them all, glad I wasn't involved in this whole mushy brother love.

Unfortunately, my gladness faded when they all turned to me. I held up my hands in protest against them. That didn't work. They all huddled around me in a big group hug. I let out a muffled, "Ugh." They all started to laugh and I just sighed. All the anxiety left me. All the worry left me. Now all I felt was annoyed.

I saved my enemy. The one I would've killed as I have killed him before.


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 - Guarded ****守衛**

New spread of Zidane's miraculous healing like wildfire. Of course, Hash and Ryan made special note that it was me who saved him. Much to my disliking, some people would actually acknowledge me as Zidane walked with me back to my room. Smiling as if they never thought ill of me the whole time I was here. But I knew they did. Humans were so easy to read.

When I was released from the most annoying group hug I preferred to stay out of, I simply got up and headed toward the door. But before I could reach it Zidane had a hold of my hand. I looked back at him keenly, trying to remove the thought of feeling his warm, silky smooth blood sliding across my tongue and down my throat. He smiled gently at me in return, gold eyes dancing.

"I'll come with you," he said. I only stared, concentrating on blocking out unwanted wanted thoughts.

Ryan then spoke up. "We got to tell everyone," he said cheerfully, running passed us and disappearing down the hall.

I glanced at Hash. When I had saw him come into the room and see Zidane he was happy, but now his usual nature seemed strangely quiet. He looked up at me, my eyes locking with his. He smiled what seemed like a sad yet happy smile, then walked passed us before he too disappeared.

I looked back at Zidane, who was still staring at me. There was a funny feeling in my stomach that made me uncomfortable. With that as my motive, I turned down the hall, trying unsuccessfully to let go of Zidane's hand. He kept his firm, yet delicate, grip. Now, as we headed back to my room I felt awkward being the one who was leading him while still involuntarily holding his hand; I wouldn't feel like this if I had my hands to myself. To add to the funny awkward feeling I could also sense his liquid gold eyes on me. Jerk.

As if feeling my uneasiness, Zidane pulled back lightly on my hand so he slid smoothly to walk in front of me. Smirking at me as he did so. I glared at the back of his head.

We reached my room and the guard was gone, but the door was left open. As we walked inside I heard Zidane chuckle as he saw the carvings all over in the metal. I rolled my eyes, well it's not like there was much to do in a human hellhole.

"I won't leave you again," he stated suddenly, turning to face me.

I tilted my head. "What?"

"It's my fault I couldn't be with you after you woke up. You were alone, I was worried," he said, taking a strand of hair and moving it from my eyes.

I shook my head. "I wasn't exactly alone. Hash kept me company, and Ryan. Besides, it wasn't your fault. You were sick."

"I'm still sick," he whispered. I looked at him strangely, but he just shrugged. "Thanks to you I feel better than I have since the first time it happened. But something, either the power I have with this side of me or something else, just something inside me knows that I'm still sick."

Though I didn't want to, I knew I had no choice but to believe it. "When was the first time?" I asked quietly.

He was quiet for a second. "About a year ago. After I turned eighteen. It happened so suddenly, I woke up in bed coughing up spots of blood. Later it happened every few months, then it just turned for the worse after I brought you here. But you saved me, that's all that matters." His voice seemed so hypnotizing, which didn't help with the way I was feeling about his blood right then. My eyes were still red, and my fangs met my weakening resistance to extend. Zidane lifted his hand to my face, gently caressing it as he had when I was just my mind. But his touch warmed the side of my face this time. Slowly, he started to lower his head to mine.

"_Zidane!_" I heard a girl scream. Before I could react to the screeching in my ear, someone flew against Zidane, pushing him away. "I was so sad. They told me you wouldn't make it. That I couldn't and wouldn't be able to see you again. But when I heard you were alive and well I immediately came to find you."

I took a step back shaking the hypnotic, dazed feeling from my head. Focusing on the blabbering girl. Her face was buried in Zidane's shirt I heard her sniffling in. Her hair was a pure blonde. She wore a light blue shirt that barely seemed to cover her overtly large breasts, of which I saw she was purposely rubbing against Zidane, who seemed unresponsive. A sudden protective feeling came over me as I watched her. She pulled back, her emerald green eyes glistening with a rim of tears. From what I knew of anything, she was what you would call humanly beautiful. Of course in my book just by looking at her she fit in perfectly well with "Slut".

"I'm fine, Raven," he said grimly, looking over at me with sullen eyes. I huffed silently, looking away. With that he put his hands on Raven's shoulders and pushed her away, but she kept a hold on his black shirt.

When she looked up at him her eyes locked onto his neck, widening at the sight of the two puncture marks I had given him. Immediately she turned glaring at me. In turn I glared back. Within an instant Raven's glare turned mocking as she turned quickly and tip toed up to Zidane. Her lips heading toward his. But before they could make contact, his hand was in the way. Insulted, she stared at him angrily. "You let a phage bite you, but you won't even let your love give you a kiss?" she complained, pouting her lips.

Zidane looked at me and rolled his eyes. "Koliko saved my life. Unlike you who keeps trying to steal my first kiss." I raised an eyebrow at him, he gave a slight smile.

"She's a damn vampire, Zidane! I grew up with you, I've always been here for you," she said, as if he had said nothing. "I think that deserves a kiss."

I sighed irritated, crossing my arms, an unknown anger building up inside me. In which she turned to glare bullets at me before Zidane moved around her to come stand behind me. "This is Koliko. Yes she's a vampire, but one that saved my life. I'd appreciate it if you didn't insult her," he said defensively, wrapping his long arms around my shoulders.

Her cheeks flooded with rage. _He's mine_, I heard her say. _He'll always be mine. Just wait, and you'll see, he'll come for me soon._

Annoyed, I pushed my own thoughts into her head. _Get out before I'm forced to kill you._ Startled she took a few steps back, her composure ruined. Without another second of hesitation she graciously flipped me off as she left the room.

I reached up, loosening Zidane's arms from around me and walked over to my bed. "Don't mind her," he said as I sat down. "We never grew up together. She came here after I found her during a raid. That was a few years ago."

I kept my face blank, lying back against the bed. "She's hopelessly in love with you," I stated.

He laughed. "It's all one-sided. She annoys the hell out of me."

I couldn't help but smile, the strange protective feeling suddenly leaving. Damn it, I knew what was wrong. The foreign smile left instantly.

Zidane noticed. "What's wrong?" I looked up gloomily at him. "What?" He came to sit beside me.

I merely shook my head. "I was a bloody fool to think it wouldn't happen to me," I whispered nearly inaudibly.

He looked at me quizzically. "You know, it would help if I knew what you were talking about."

Shock paralyzed me, as I looked at him. What was I going to do? It could be broken couldn't it? Others were broken sometimes. I never paid much attention to normal vampire characteristics. I wasn't supposed to be like them. But maybe I was more like them than I told myself.

"Koliko," Zidane said softly. "Tell me what's happening."

I looked expressionlessly at him. "I drank your blood."

He nodded. "Yes and you saved me life. Have I not been clear on this? It's ok."

"No. It's not ok. I drank it directly from you. It wasn't when it was already outside of you, but it flowed into my mouth." I paused, fighting the urge to sink my teeth into him again. "Because of that, I believe I've Guarded with you." He looked questioningly at me. I sighed. "It's like the stories of how werewolves and other vampires will Impress or Imprint with another person by drinking their blood, creating a link between them. For me, I didn't think it was possible," I said, since I wasn't supposed to even _like_ blood. "My mother told me if I did, it was called Guarding. Something completely different than the others." I stopped short, my eyes widening in horror.

"What else?" he asked urgently seeing the terror in my fading red eyes. Squeezing my cold clenched hand.

"If I ever Guarded with someone," I whispered, "it's a permanent attachment."


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20 - Gone ****去**

Vampire that Imprinted with someone else created a tie between themselves and the other. With that tie, there came an inevitable sense of wanting from each of them. They could feel each other's presence, shared each other's pain. Everything between them was heightened to the degree that the bond was formed. If the Imprint was weak, like the vampire not drinking enough blood to establish a firm hold, then it could be broken. Strong connections could be too, but not as easily. Abstinence was the key if the Taker didn't die to break the link, and for the stronger tie it was nearly impossible. Every time the vampire would want something, in their case mostly blood, from the recipient the bond only got stronger.

For me, breaking wasn't possible. Sure I didn't have that strong of a bond to Zidane, but I knew it was there. Otherwise I wouldn't have felt so protective when that girl was literally all over him…would I? Inside myself I could feel two different pulls toward him. One being the want for his blood. The other being just a want for anything from him. Which confused me. Feelings were so complicated, that's why I buried them so many years ago.

"I know you most likely don't want to hear this, but I have to ask," Zidane said, sitting up next to my lying form.

Well he had done as he'd promised, he never left me again, even when he had to eat I was involuntarily dragged along with him to the stuffy cafeteria. Of which I was either ignored, acknowledged for a brief moment, or being glared at the blonde slut. Sometimes Ryan and Hash would meet us there, usually ending up with Ryan making a fake fuss about the others joking with him so he hand an excuse to complain to me and hold onto my arm.

I peeked a closed red tinted eye at him. "Is your father still alive?"

Both my eyes opened then. That one caught me off guard. I huffed. "No… If he was I'll be sure to find him and kill him," I said hazardously. "And if I hear another question about my father, it'll be the end of you." I pointed a finger at him, my eyes trying to hold a glare against his honey gold eyes.

He nodded, lying back down on the small bed. "Just curious," he said boredly.

"Curiosity killed the cat," I replied, closing my eyes again. Oddly enough his presence was comforting. It pissed me off. Damn Guard.

"Are you speaking metaphorically?" he asked laughing. I felt him slide his hand along my tail. A wave of delight raced up my spine. Grr, I had to get away from him.

"You'll be the death of me," I stated. Zidane stopped laughing then. There was a warm finger on my chin, turning me to face him. My eyes opened reluctantly.

"I won't let you die," he said distantly, the liquid color of his eyes hardening. "I will die for you to live." Well now I think we can all see who the Guard effected most. Not that I was denying the fact that a small part of me felt the same way or anything…

"Where are Hash and Ryan's parents?" I asked, changing the subject.

This turned the solidified gold back to liquid, his eyes became soft. "Hash's parents were killed during a raid like mine," he told. "Ryan's mother died from a fever after giving birth to him, we didn't have any vampiric healing solution then. His dad blamed him for her death and committed suicide by wolf a few years later." He pulled himself up, sitting against the wall. "He thinks of you like a sister you know."

Once again, caught off guard. "What? Why?"

"He has no family. Hash and I are as close to anything he's got, we're basically all brothers." For a brief, quiet moment I swear I heard _Xavier_, fly through my head, but brushed it off. "And because as a brother I was with you, he took you on a sister. Quite fast actually, Raven wanted him to think of her like his sister since she hung around me, but he never thinks of her that way at all. But you, you weren't so clingy like her. Ryan liked you immediately. He's never had a mother-like figure in his life. Nurturing or caring. So he turns to you for his complaints and everything."

I shook my head, looking away from him. "I'm not nurturing, nor am I caring. And I'm definitely not mother-like."

Zidane laughed lightly. "Well maybe you think so. But I know you're caring. Otherwise, I'd be dead right now. You saved me from werewolves, vampires, hunters, and sickness. You can't say you don't care."

I hesitated. "Fine," was all I said.

We were quiet for a while. Only our breathing could be heard. But in my ears I just kept hearing the rhythmic melody Zidane's heart gave off. My fangs ached to extend, my vision would blur in and out between the faded red they had stayed and the bloody red from my want. _Maybe just one sweet taste wouldn't hurt_, I told myself. The primal vampiric instinct within me starting to rise.

"Do you think we've met before?" Zidane suddenly asked. All my thoughts rushed away from me in whirl, leaving me slightly dazed.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"When I met you, as my other side, I didn't feel I knew you even though I felt a pulse to stay with you. And now, as this side of me, I feel something about you that I can't pin down. Like I know you, but I can't remember anything," he explained. His eyes searched for something in mine for the longest time and I couldn't look away.

_Who are you?_ sprang through my mind, just before red and gold flickers hit me making me turn away.

I shook my head, I don't understand. "I never met you before in my life," I lied. "I don't remember anything about my childhood, or whatever kind of childhood I had. I only remember my father trying to kill me, and my mother dying by his hand to protect me."

"But you have seen me before," Zidane persisted, catching my lie. Damn, I was supposed to be a good liar.

I hesitated, feeling slightly lightheaded. I knew what I was going to say and there was no way of stopping it. No matter how much I wanted to keep it hidden from him. The words would spill out like a waterfall.

"I have," I agreed lowly. Sitting up and hanging my legs over the edge I held my head between my hands.

"Where? When? What happened between us?" he asked shooting questions at me.

My head felt lighter, I though I would pass out if I was able. "I met you four times before," I whispered, the waterfall started pouring. "You crossed my path as if you were drawn to me each time. And every time you came near me I killed you without a thought in the world. You were just a human."

"How did you know it was me?" he asked quietly with no emotion in his tone.

"Because after I killed you, you turned to dust. I killed you four times without a thought of who you were. Of course you would have to be the one humans told stories about. You reincarnated and somehow we always ran into each other years later, but I never remembered you. Not until that day I first actually saw you as your angelic form. I remembered everything then. Nothing about you ever changed…"

He was quiet for a moment. "But something about me must've altered if you didn't kill me when you met me this last time," he pointed out emotionless.

I nodded. "But I don't know what. I don't know why I…" I choked, "Why I couldn't kill you then."

Zidane stayed deathly silent after that. It was so long before he spoke again that I was startled by to hear his voice. "You would've killed me though."

There was a hesitation inside me. I wanted desperately to say no. But I could only nod faintly. Suddenly there was a horrible feeling that mixed with whatever else I was feeling. "But you would've come back. Reincarnated. You couldn't really die," I said urgently, trying to make up for what I had done.

Slowly, Zidane laid back down on the bed. I didn't look at him in fear of what I would see, from the corner of my eye I could see his back was toward me. "Forget about it," was all he said.

That silenced me. I felt as if everything in the world had fallen on me, but even with unnatural strength, I couldn't lift if off and away. It was a while, but eventually I heard Zidane's breathing slow with his heart as he fell asleep.

Quietly, I stepped off the bed. The door was locked again, but that was ok. I didn't need to use it for an exit. I looked back at Zidane's sleeping form. I would've killed him, as I had before. How could he say I cared?

Ignoring the achy, pulling feeling I had, I teleported away. Disappearing, so I wouldn't hurt Zidane again.


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 - A Favor ****厚待**

_**Zidane - Third Person**_

He felt something was wrong in the room when consciousness started to creep in. Like how you could feel it sometimes if someone was looking at you, but this feeling wasn't the nervous kind, it was completely wrong. The room felt empty. Zidane felt empty.

With a start he opened his eyes, seeing the wall facing him. His arm felt along behind him, but it was the normal temperature as if no one had slept there, not cold like a vampire would've made it. He sat up immediately then. There was no one. The room was empty.

Frantically, Zidane jumped up, running to the door. Testing the handle to see if it had been broken, instead it didn't move which meant it was locked. He knocked on the door quickly, calling for the guard to unlock it. When he did so, Zidane busted out in a sight of slight panic. Leaving the guard bewildered and nervous when he too saw that there was no one else in the room.

"Did you see her come out?" Zidane asked the guard urgently. The man shook his head.

"No, I was here all night. There was nothing," he replied, holding his gun tightly to his chest in fear.

Without another word, Zidane whirled around and took off down the halls. Koliko could've controlled him. It wouldn't have been hard for her. She knew what she was doing, whatever it was.

He reached to cafeteria just in time to catch to breakfast rush. As fast as he could, Zidane pushed through the crowd of people, hurrying over to where Hash and Ryan were already eating. They looked up at him in surprise, but it quickly changed to alarm when they saw the worried expression in Zidane's eyes and the lack of vampiric beauty that was supposed to be with him.

"Where's Koliko?" Ryan asked, his tone anxious. Voicing the same obvious question that Hash thinking.

"That's what I was about to ask the two of you," he said exasperated. "Koliko was here last night, then I fell asleep. I woke up and she was gone. I don't know where she is."

He slumped into a chair, banging his head onto the table. There was a strange pulling sensation inside of him. Koliko hadn't told him much else about the whole Guarding thing. She could've mentioned the weird empty feeling with her not being there. As well as the physical and mental tension it was putting on him, or more so now since he would already feel this way even if she didn't Guard with him.

Ryan spoke quickly. "But we have to find her," he said, sounding worried with a hint of sadness. "She could get hurt." Zidane had to laugh at that, along with Hash.

"Koliko isn't an easy one to hurt," Zidane commented.

"I'm more worried for whoever runs into her," Hash followed.

Ryan glared at them. "Whatever, we need to find her." Zidane nodded.

"I know. I just don't know how. She didn't like it here, so she left, but I can't help but feel there's something she's going to do. Something really bad." They were silenced at the thought. Their imaginations driving them to bitter ideas.

"You will find her," they heard someone say, coming up to them. It was Ida. She looked perplexed as she stopped in front of them. Her old hazel eyes staring. "Zidane, you have Guarded with her, yes?" He nodded forlornly. "Then you can find her."

"How?"

She took a boney finger and flicked him on the head. "You two have created a link. Use it. Call to her and her presence will be known to you."

When saying that Zidane remembered. _You crossed my path as if you were drawn to me each time._ "The link only makes the pull toward her stronger," he whispered. Then he looked up at Ida, smiling thankfully. The old woman smiled back, not knowing what he was talking about. Without hesitation Zidane left the table swiftly, Hash and Ryan following as close behind as possible.

"What are you going to do Zidane?" Ryan asked. They were headed toward the Raiding room. Where all their weapons and packs were kept.

"Find Koliko, and stop her from doing whatever I can feel inside me," Zidane replied. He grabbed a gun as long as his arm, strapping it across his back.

"She can handle herself, Zidane. She'll come back," Hash mentioned.

"I know she can, but she won't come back." He paused, thinking about how he had reacted last night to what she had told him about their past. He couldn't remember it, even though as she told him there was a tickle in his head and flashes of movement. It was his fault she left.

"Why not?" Ryan asked sorrowfully.

"Because she doesn't want to be stuck in a place full of humans she restrains herself from killing."

"You'll bring her back her anyway?" Hash implied. "Even after you stop her from doing whatever?"

Zidane hesitated, then spoke slowly. "I'll do what I can." If she wouldn't come back, he'd go with her. That's all there was to it.

"I'm coming with you," Ryan stated, grabbing for a gun. But his wrist was caught before he could get a hold.

"You and Hash are staying here. It's too dangerous for you two," Zidane ordered, looking over at Hash, who only nodded.

"But I want to help," he whined.

"You can help by calming the people down. They'll be hearing about this soon. No doubt it'll cause a ruckus." Ryan agreed sullenly.

"Good luck," Hash said, patting Zidane's shoulder.

Zidane nodded only slightly before he turned and headed for the entrance to the bunker.

_**Koliko - First Person**_

I walked through the eerie gray woods. The same polluted smell of the air was nauseating, but I was unaffected. Dry and dead leaves seemed to barely make a sound as I walked over them. Grace. Something all vampires had.

Where was I? Well, a place I had been before a couple hundred years ago. When I was testing out my powers as I grew. Where I killed a couple of werewolves who were out hunting. Back in the times when humans were still the dominant power. They came after me as a trespasser. Of course, they didn't know who I was when they got closer, all they knew was that I was a vampire and I was on their land. They died so easily.

Before I disappeared from this place I heard of one werewolf from the pack who was seeking revenge on me for killing her brothers and sister. Of course, I was all about revenge. I killed any_thing_ and any_one_ against me.

Anyway, I walked onward. Knowing any second there would be wolves surrounding me. Fangs bared. Some half or fully transformed. I could smell their filth in the air, it stung my nose. I made a threatening growl deep within my chest.

Exactly on cue a large group of lycans appeared from thin air. All were exactly as I had pictured. They were all different shades of browns and grays, hunched over with baring teeth. Their eyes ranged from different colors as well. Green, yellow, red, even blue.

They moved aside as a black wolf, somewhat smaller than most of them, came through to stand, more like crouch, in front of me. Saliva dripped from its mouth. The eyes were a menacing gray. So badly I wanted to take all their heads off at once, but that wasn't what I was here for.

I raised my hands in surrender. "I have come to ask a favor."

The wolf tilted its head at me. There was a subtle crunching noise as it curled into a ball and the black hair started to recede. The jaw was drawn back and the ears turned to normal. Before me stood a naked young woman. Her hair as very dark brown with natural red streaks running through it that came just below her butt, nearly as long as mine, which came to my knees. Her eyes were a startling bright green, which even stood out from the other wolves with green eyes.

"We don't deal with vampires," she growled.

I smirked. "Oh, but you'll love the deal I have for you. I know who you are Raelki. You're the second in command of the Werewolf Nation. Also the one who's family I killed."

She threw a hateful glare at me. "I know who you are very well. I swore I would kill you if I ever found you."

I widened my smile, my fangs had extended instinctively. I held my vampiric self back. "Good," I said, "because my favor was for you to kill me."


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22 - Pulse ****脈衝**

At my request, Raelki paused mid-step on her way to attack me. Full on revenge was what was on her mind, only to be stopped by a miscalculated part of the equation: I wasn't supposed to be willing.

I shrugged. "I would have vampires do it, but let's face it, they'd just experiment on me for a few eternities before actually killing me. I figured you of all things would enjoy the satisfaction more anyway."

"You are willing to die? Just like that?" she as incredulously.

"Just like that." I snapped my fingers, giving off a louder than should've been click, for emphasis.

Raelki stood there speechless. Speculating as she cautiously walked closer to me. I rolled my eyes. _Take your time, take your time_, I thought irritated. The seal on my hand was already uncomfortably burning, and to top that off my instincts which so magically appeared after drinking Zidane's blood were getting harder to hold back from killing the stupid dogs surrounding me.

Zidane… It was my own fault for everything between us. I had to die, so he wouldn't hurt anymore. So I wouldn't cause anymore trouble for him. That's what I wanted…wasn't it?

"Grab her," Raelki barked suddenly. "We'll take her back with us." Sure, sure, trying to hold me prisoner was really going to help with the fact that I'm trying not to kill you, so would you hurry and kill me first? Nope not going to happen, instead they want to keep me prisoner, nicely done.

There was a sudden bag over my head. I felt my arms being pulled behind my back and my wrists being chained together with a heavy, well not heavy to me, metal.

"A bag and chains? Really?" I asked critically. "It's not like I can't get out of these in a second."

"It gives a better feeling knowing you're somewhat impaired," a wolf growled beside me.

"Well not to burst your bubble, but you're no more safe with me like this than without." There was a prod on my back making start to walk.

It was a while later, and I mean a while, like a few days a while, I heard somewhat muffled noises and chatter, not that the wolves could hear since my hearing was more acute. We didn't have to stop of a break since immortals rarely got tired. Besides we were just walking. Cautiously. Which irritated me.

Finally after walking a few more miles, the bag was ripped from my head. I shook it trying to focus my eyes, which were back to normal. Moving my ears back and forth to stretch them out from being cramped.

The scene around me was of an Indian village, old and worn down, with buckskin teepees amazingly. But there were people walking around. A werewolf pack, to be exact. They acted like humans would in everyday life. Talking, playing, eating…what looked like an arm. I shook my head in disgust. As I did, the wolves we passed all stopped what they were doing and stared at the group, particularly me. Grr.

We headed for the center which was an actual lodge. Raelki passed the hanging skins in the doorway first. I heard a rustle of noises inside, but averted all senses to the falling snow. One snowflake danced down until it landed on my chest, but it didn't melt, it just stayed as it was.

Raelki flung the flap of the doorway open, wearing torn jeans and a shirt, gesturing coldly for my entrance. Two pairs of hands grabbed each of my arms and hauled me forth, throwing me onto the ground inside the wooden house. It's not like I couldn't walk.

I looked up defiantly at their leader.

She sat on a robe. Legs folded beneath her. Her hair was light brown and came to her shoulders, in a way it was messy, but still looked good. Her eyes matched, they glared at me with an intensity I couldn't feel. She wore an antique looking dress that Indians used to wear. Feather earrings hung from her ears and an old feather dream catcher around her neck.

"Silvyna," I hissed the greeting.

Of course I knew what might happen next. From what I knew about tradition with these dogs, talking to the leader without permission and calling them by first name no less, was considered impolite. In my case, I'm sure it was a disgrace.

"Raelki," she ordered coldly. "Use your powers on it."

The young Indian woman seemed taken aback. "Silvyna we agreed¾"

"I know what we agreed," Silvyna said in a voice that would've been as beautiful as a birds song had it lacked the cold hardness in it. "Just try it. This thing could come in handy to us."

Reluctantly, Raelki nodded. She positioned herself in front of me. I eyed her suspiciously. Her hands came up on both sides of my head, and she closed her eyes. I closed mine as well, prepared to defend my mind against anything.

There was a funny tingling feeling inside my head. I searched around for the source. At a distance I saw her running around in the darkness, trying to find an entrance to my mind. Before I could even get to her I saw sparks. The same red and gold sparks that attacked me, but they were also accompanied by black flickers. They attacked her the same way the did me, but it seemed to hurt her more.

Physically I heard her yell out in pain. Her hands ripped away from me as fast as they could. My eyes opened and I watched her expression as she winced before turning my gaze to Silvyna.

"You're servants mind washing tricks will not work on me," I growled.

She narrowed her eyes. "Lock it up. It dies tonight."

I couldn't help but notice that my seal wasn't burning as it once had, instead it was pulsing slowly and increased every minute, which never happened before.

_**Zidane - Third Person**_

He was right about the link. It strengthened what was already pulling him to Koliko. He could feel his heart beat slowly climb to a faster rate as he thought about getting to her. Calling for her. He could feel everything inside telling him which way to go. He would find her. He had to. Running for three days straight, not even taking a rest, didn't bother him a bit. Even his heart only increased how much it would beat as a sign he was getting closer to Koliko.

_I did it_, he thought. _I drove you away._

He shook his head. The feeling in his gut had gotten worse, Zidane hoped he would make it in time. Whatever it was, if Koliko was involved he'd be sure to do everything he could.

As he traveled steadily, his speed increased. His heart's pulse was getting quicker, pushing him to go faster. Faster and faster, his feet didn't even seem to touch the ground. But even with the speed, darkness started to take over the gray sky.

He stopped abruptly. In front of him stood at least a dozen werewolves. All were looking straight at him, fangs bared, eyes menacing.

"I don't have time for this," Zidane groaned, whipping off the gun from his back.

The wolves advanced on him quickly. He could only shoot a few before the others were too close. He sighed, then suddenly felt his right hand get extremely warm. On impulse he flung his hand straight out to he side, a large white skeletal looking sword extended from his palm. Gripping it lightly, he flew toward the wolves. With little effort they were all dead with ten seconds.

There was a sudden thundering noise from afar. It shouldn't have been heard, but Zidane could. Then without warning it felt like blades and hooks were being driven into and tearing from his back. He cringed, gasping as he lowered onto his knees.

_Koliko_. He took off in the direction of the noise. Willing himself to go faster than before. He could only hope he wasn't too late.


	24. Chapter 23

_Hey peeps, thanks for the reviews. I added a one-shot story, if you haven't read my profile, I'd appreciate it if you gave me some feedback thanks. Enjoy one of my favorite chapters!!_

**Chapter 23 - Reaped ****收割**

_**Koliko - First Person**_

Now the funny thing about being tied up, almost naked, and suspended in the air between two trees is the fact that they had my head in a noose. A noose. Like they were going to hang me had it not been for the fact the ropes tied around my wrists were the only thing holding me up from not choking. It was ridiculous to say the least. Hanging wouldn't do anything, just make me feel very uncomfortable because I wouldn't be able to breathe needless breaths out of habit.

Which brought be to the question. How did I learn that breathing was even necessary? I mean I was born dead. I didn't need air, yet I breathed as if I was a Turned Vampire rather than just born this way. Whatever, I was going to ignore this question since it made absolutely no sense and just stick with 'it's instinct'.

"Raelki," Silvyna called, "would you like to do us the honor of getting rid of this?" She pointed a thumb at me. "I know it has always been a desire for you to get your revenge."

Once Raelki nodded, in one invisible instant I swore I saw a flash of uncertainty on her face, but it quickly disappeared. She reached up and stroked a unique claw looking pearl impeded in silver lining on a choker she wore, a rectangular piece of coral was imbedded just above the pearl.

All the other wolves around us howled and danced around. And by 'other wolves' I meant practically every wolf of the Werewolf Nation. Here to take a look as the legendary True Vampire died at their hands. Well now, what a party.

Silvyna took what looked like a whip, with many strands that had sharp blades and hooks on each end, from a blonde haired man. His eyes were liquid sapphire, and they looked at me, not with hostility, but with the sort of kindness I would expect from Hash or Ryan. From Zidane. He was tall, but I couldn't tell whether or not he was be taller than Zidane. He dressed in the same brown and green modern attire Hash wore. Also, he didn't even smell bad like a normal wolf would have. I searched for his name, but surprisingly the red and gold sparks flickered against me. I stared at him in confusion.

Raelki took the whip from Silvyna's outstretched hand. Walking behind me in a confident fashion. She held the whip up and hollered like a true Indian. All the lycans corresponded and joined in, but I noticed the blonde did not.

Without another word, Raelki extended the whip, grabbing hold of the handle and cracked it against my back. The blades dug into my skin while the hooks grabbed it. She pulled it back, ripping everything off and out. I felt my blood sliding down my back and legs. Seeing it drip and start to make a pool of black just beneath me, some of the dead weeds burned because of the acidic-ness of it. I bit the inside of my lip, not making a sound to correspond the pain. It wouldn't kill me, blood would be regenerated and my back would heal. They could torture me all they liked.

My mark burned and pulsed faster. I resisted the urge to retaliate. Everything inside of me screamed. _Koliko_. I snapped my head up. That voice.

Raelki snapped the whip again and again, opening new wounds that wouldn't scar my skin. On my legs and arms, even wrapping around my stomach. But I could tell by the strength they flew into me that she was weakening. But why? She wanted to kill me, torture me. Why would she weaken?

"I'm finished," Raelki said boldly, walking back to Silvyna who before me with her arms crossed.

Silvyna nodded before grabbing a stake that was sticking up from the ground. She held it out for Raelki. "Plunge it into this phage's heart." She looked at me cynically. "If it has one."

For a moment, it looked like Raelki was going to take it. But her hand only hovered above it. I saw the uncertainty again.

"I…I…" she stuttered.

"Can't," I chuckled evilly, smirking.

Silvyna glared at me before turning back to Raelki. "Why not? Do it. For you're family. Remember what this vampire has done to them. Killed. They're all dead because of it." She pointed the stake at me. "Also for the sake of your nation. Give us the pride for getting rid of an evil legend."

Raelki looked between me and Silvyna. Her eyes were hesitant, showing fear.

Silvyna saw it too. She growled menacingly. "You disappoint me." Instantly, she took the stake and ran toward me. She howled as it pierced me. A chorus of her nation joined in. I grunted, feeling the stake through my heart and my senses starting to get fuzzy.

"Today is the beginning of our domination!" Silvyna screamed, grabbing a sword from the ground. The werewolves howled with joy.

I didn't have to guess what the sword was meant for. Death was finally coming for me. I looked behind Silvyna, who walked toward me with a confident smile, shocked to see the Four Reapers standing with their scythes upright, not ready to slice at me. But the more surprising thing was that they were even there. Not physically, it was a talent of mine to see them. I saw them when I killed. Watched them as they reaped the bodies, minds, hearts, then souls of the ones I killed, each with their specific thing to reap. Why it was surprising was because I didn't think I had a soul, since they would only show if there were four things to reap.

_You have come for me?_ I asked them. Time seemed to stop and everything else disappeared besides the Reapers and I as we were covered in darkness.

The one on the far right answered with a ghostly voice. _My lady. We come to protect what is most precious._ It lifted its scythe and thumped it against the ground. I could tell it was the Reaper of the Soul, since its scythe was invisible if not for a thin outline of silver.

_We come to protect the one whom you hold precious_, the reaper to the left said, its voice, too, was haunting. The Reaper of the Heart. Its scythe was a bloody red.

_We come to protect those whom are important to your precious one_, the next said. Its scythe seemed hollow because an eerey dark gray smoke swirled inside it. The Reaper of the Mind.

_My lady_, the last spoke. The Reaper of the Body, its scythe completely black. _We exist with you and for you. And you alone_.

All at once they thumped their scythes against the ground. They wore cloaks, but I knew there was nothing beneath them. Only skeletal hands. The scythe's blades seemed to get longer.

_Are you ready, my lady?_ they all asked at once.

I didn't know how to respond. They had never really talked to be before, well maybe because I never tried talking to them. But all the more it was as fascinating as it was horrifying. Somehow I was comforted by their words. I only nodded.

Time resumed and the darkness disappeared as everything else reappeared. Silvyna had the sword above my head. My senses were fuzzier and I couldn't concentrate. Death here I come. My mark stopped pulsing suddenly and burned with extreme fierceness.

It all happened in a matter of moments. As Silvyna drew the sword down to cut off my head a blast of light knocked her away from me. I watched as the Reapers flew after her form. I drowsily looked to see where the light had come from, but my vision wouldn't focus completely. But it didn't need to.

Zidane hurled himself at the werewolves who reacted immediately. Sticking his glowing white sword in them and shooting with the gun in his other hand. I could see the gold in his eyes burned brightly and his hair shined from sweat. I felt my mouth drop open. How the bloody _hell_ did he find me?

I pulled against the ropes that held me, focusing as much as I could for my telepathy to undo them. It worked for the rope around my head, but I couldn't work on the others.

I felt my left arm fall down, then my right. I fell forward, only be stopped my something, someone. I tried looking up, but I felt weak from the stake that was still embedded in my heart. The ropes on my legs were cut. Suddenly I was being moved very quickly away from the chaos.

Over the shoulder of whoever was carrying me I saw the Reapers, who seemed to be the only ones who were clear in all the haze, taking the four things they were meant for. Each one right after the other. They moved extremely fast, keeping up with all the killings that a blood splattered Zidane caused.


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 - New ****新**

The fight disappeared far into the distance. I couldn't hear the howls of lycans dying by Zidane's sword. I couldn't really do much of anything with my senses somewhat fuzzy and my paralyzed body from the stake in my heart. All I knew was that I was being carried by something soft and white.

It was long into the night and things were barely in focus. But eventually whatever or whoever was carrying me found a desolate looking cave. One that had many tunnels when you went inside. We went inside one, it set me down gently on a flat stone before moving away for something. I could hear faint dripping water.

"This…might…hurt," the thing said, it's voice was gruff, concentrating on saying each word so it was understandable. Like an animal that was trying to talk. Like a dog.

My gaze shifted to a blurry white werewolf that stood towering over me. It reached down and took a hold of the stake. I hissed at the sting. "Do it," I said between clenched teeth. Without a hesitation, one hand/paw was holding my shoulder down while the other pulled out the stake with ease. I let out a gasp as if the air had been knocked out of me. I felt the wound start healing with seconds. My senses came back and I focused on the wolf, who threw the stake away. Oddly, my seal didn't burn, but a faint pulse was there again.

"You rescued me," I said, but it sounded like more of a question. It nodded in response. "Why?"

Looking at it, the thing was nearly ten feet tall. Its furry arms hung well past its waist. I saw torn jeans barely hanging on, but they looked like shorts. Its eyes were a familiar blue. Its snout long and ears that stood up on its head. The claws on its paws and feet were dangerously long and sharp. They held a unique poison that could make healing processes slow. Slowly, though, it curled in on itself. The hair receded, claws turned back to sharp nails, and before a blink of an eye the blonde man I saw stood before me.

"Because you're special," he answered, holding onto what he could of his pants.

I scoffed. "Special? I wanted to die. If that idiot hadn't come and ruined everything I'd be basking in Hell's paradise right now."

He chuckled. "Well, too bad for you. Looks like you're going to live." He gave me a sarcastic grin, showing off sparkling white teeth and four sharp fangs. Two on top and two on bottom.

I glared at him. "For now," I stated. "Now who are you?"

"The name's Ayden, Ayden Krad," he introduced.

"You don't stink," I said.

This made him laugh. "Well that's a story I'm going to have to wait to explain."

"How long will that be?" I asked, sitting up and folding my arms. Only then did I notice I was practically naked, with a tearing bra and ripping underwear. But I brushed it off. Its not like Ayden could do anything to me.

Ayden scratched his head looking back toward the entrance of the cave. "Oh, I'd say not too long now." He looked back at me. "How about we get you some clothes first?"

"Clothes? Here? We're in a cave, you moron."

"True, but this happens to be a cover base for scouts. There's some clothes in the back." He pointed his thumb farther down the tunnel. "You can check it out. I'm not shopping for you. Plus, there's a lot to choose from."

I got up and was down the hall within half a second, but Ayden didn't seem phased by it. I'm not that trustworthy, you know. I could kill you anytime I wanted here. It didn't take long to find the folds of clothes on the ground. Oddly enough, they all seemed mostly clean and not ripped.

I searched thoroughly. Finding everything I had basically worn before I had to switch to dreaded white clothing. A trench coat, baggy cargo pants, a one shoulder tank-top (with a built in bra) which barely covered the top of my upside-down "V" scar I had gotten from Zidane, socks, and Fallen skater shoes. Which I thought odd since I didn't think wolves would even have a use for shoes. But it was all black, thankfully, I wasn't going to question the convenience of all these modern things that somehow still existed. Sure humans made it so things lasted when WWIII began, but I didn't think they could last _this_ long.

As I headed back towards the little clearing in the tunnel I heard a commotion. Of which, yelling was involved. At first I thought maybe Ayden had gone crazy, but as I neared him I could hear a voice that wasn't his. An angry voice that still sounded smooth as silk.

"Where is she? I know you have her here."

I turned the corner to end up standing between Ayden, who was leaning against the wall not particularly scared but was cautious, and Zidane, who had his sword lifted and pointing toward Ayden.

Ayden looked over at me first, giving a small smirk. "Calm down, Zidane."

Zidane followed his gaze and our eyes connected. I couldn't stop staring at him. His clothes were ripped and bloody, his face was bloody, his sword was bloody, everything about him seemed bloody. Slowly he lowered his sword, it disappeared like mist. He smiled, reaching out for me. But I only stood there, that was, before Zidane suddenly fell to the ground coughing.

The delicious smell hit me before I could even move. He was coughing up blood again. My fangs extended before I could resist. My eyes started to haze into red. I rushed over to him, trying desperately to hold on to my sanity and not drain him right then and there.

"Koliko," he choked, looking up at me, giving a small smile. Glistening blood covered his lips, trickling down his chin. It smelled so delicious. Sounded so tempting.

I hesitated. Gently putting my hand behind his head and tilting it back, fully exposing his neck and the two puncher marks of my fangs on the left side. I felt the same determination fill me like before as I lowered my mouth over his pulsing jugular, my seal burning once more. I didn't notice as he took a hold of my other hand. My fangs lingered only for a moment over the two dotted scars before breaking through again. Blood filled my mouth, and I drank it down greedily. Disgusting, but I found myself loving it. I felt the same fluid flowing from my fangs, making the blood stop. Zidane's other hand pressed against the back of my head. There was a subtle feeling and I started to feel lightheaded. I pulled back reluctantly, sliding my tongue over the bite.

Wiping the trailing blood for the corner of my mouth, I watched as Zidane's breathing regulated and his heart went back to normal. "Well damn, you didn't have to wear yourself out and kill nearly the entire Werewolf Nation, you know," I accused, looking over at Ayden who was staring at us both, unnerved by what just happened.

"I had to save you," he replied quietly, pushing himself back onto his butt to lean against the wall. His hair fell, shadowing his face.

"I didn't want saving," I said softly. "I wanted to die."

"But why?" He lifted his head, catching my eyes before I could look away. The liquid gold was lively.

"Because…" I whispered, as if he were pulling to words from my throat. "I didn't want to hurt you anymore."

He shook his head slightly. "If you died, I'd die," he said, his voice gentle. "I don't know much about this whole Guard thing, but I'm still sick and you're the only one who can save me. So you can't die, Koliko." I was stunned to silence.

Ayden shuffled behind me. I turned to see he had slid down the rock wall to sit against it. Which reminded me.

"I thought werewolves didn't have souls," I said to him. Ayden looked at me, tilting his head in confusion.

"We don't," he replied.

"Then why would the Four Reapers be there?"

"Because I gave them souls, but killed them anyway," Zidane stated next to me.

"Oh. Well that makes sense I guess." We were all silent for a long somewhat awkward moment. Then I remembered and said, "Now I'm going to assume it's time for you to tell us who you really are, Ayden."

He looked up at me with curious eyes, then to Zidane and they seemed to harden vaguely. Zidane returned his gaze with questioning look.

"I knew Zidane a long time ago," he said slowly. "And I saw you kill him."


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25 - Hesitant ****猶豫**

I glared at Ayden for the longest time. Though he seemed unfazed by it. I was really losing my edge being around other people.

"You saw her" --Zidane pointed a thumb at me-- "kill me?"

Ayden nodded. "Clear as the day could get."

"And you knew him?" I asked, pointing my own thumb back at Zidane. Again he nodded. "I don't know which reincarnation of Zidane you saw me kill, but I would've noticed a werewolf around." Zidane stayed quiet.

This time Ayden shook his head, his blonde hair swaying with each shake. "I was a human back then." He gave me a puzzled look then. "I thought there was only one Zidane."

This time I shook me head solemnly, barely glancing at Zidane from the corner of my eye. "Zidane has been reincarnated five times," I said quietly and slowly. "I killed him the first four times without a clue of who he was." It felt like I was reopening a scar. For Zidane, not me. And I felt horrible, which was supposed to be a feeling I never felt in my life. It was supposed to be buried and demolished. I cleared my throat. "What years did you know him?"

Ayden thought for a few minutes. "He was born the same year I was. 1917, during World War I. You killed him when he was eighteen."

Thinking back through all the years was kinda fuzzy when I had to remember a specific time that wasn't exactly embedded into my memory. But I would remember it nonetheless, vampires had excellent memories after being changed.

"World War I," I mused, scratching my twitching ear. "It would've been Zidane's second reincarnation."

"Are you sure?" Ayden asked, obviously surprised that Zidane had so many lives already.

I nodded. "Quite certain. The first time I met him it was during the Civil War," I paused for a second before adding, "I lived in a small glass house that was secluded in the Himalayas. I stayed there all my life. But it seems I'm always attracted to wars that develop around Zidane's time of birth."

"What other wars?" Zidane finally asked, breaking his unbearable, to me, silence.

"There was a war in Afghanistan, but you weren't even eighteen…" I slowed. "You were just a frightened child, crying, running to me. Hugging me tightly. But I still killed you." I didn't dare turn fully to face him. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his face was once again emotionless, his eyes solid gold slits.

"The next was a war with Africa. Can you believe? Africa, which became a world power after the invention of a nanobot that could be programmed to attack whoever or whatever. Injecting people with a toxin that could kill within seconds, and able to eject an acid that would literally eat through any metal." I stopped, wondering why the hell was I doing the talking? Ayden was supposed to be telling the story, not me. Instead, he just nodded in recognition.

"Anyway. After that was during World War III. Now, the Triads War, of which you're still alive." I clapped boredly. Then gesturing back to Ayden, said, "You're turn."

"My turn?" he asked in mock surprise, giving me a sarcastic smile. This dog was going to be served with ketchup. I growled lowly. He threw his hands up in response. "Alright, alright. It was nearing the end of World War I, Zidane and I grew up together in the Eastern part of the werewolf's territory. Coldwater, Maine, it was called in the old days. Anyway, a few weeks after turning eighteen he had a coughing fit, bloody, like a few minutes ago. Though, not as bad. When he got strength enough to move he just started running. Out of the house, down the street, out of town, until he entered the surrounding wilderness." Ayden shook his head, a slight grim smile on his lips. "I followed him like the best friend I was. Into a forest that was supposed to be haunted, you know, scary since there were stories of how wolves roamed around there. But before I can catch up to him I see you holding him in the air before I watch and hear his neck snap, then watch as his body turns into dust and floats away. Of course, I hide, I wasn't even twenty feet away from you to risk running. I hear a wolf howl, and there was a burst of cold and when I looked back, you were gone. Now I ran, as fast as I could to get away from whatever the hell you were. Only to run into, wouldn't you know it? wolves. Werewolves. Thus, I survived the Change, and here I am now."

"A human, I thought you insignificant," I remarked, remembering the feeling of a human's presence way back when. "The wolves would kill you before you ever got out of that forest. I guess they saw something in you that made you special enough to Change."

Ayden nodded. "They did. I knew from the stories I was told after surviving that Zidane was the supposed 'Angel' they all talked about. But I didn't say anything, I didn't like being what I am."

"And you do now?" I asked critically, raising an eyebrow at him. Barely did I notice Zidane leaning forward, his head almost resting against my back. The hairs on my arms and neck stood up as I felt a wave of electricity flow through me at the thought. Damn it.

"It's something that has to be accepted," he replied. "Anyway, that wasn't the only reason why I was 'special', it's also because I could remember my human life."

"But when you go through a Change or Turned, everything starts over," I implied. "Even memories."

"Yeah, well, you have Zidane to thank for that. I think his power brushed off on me. Even if he, or me, didn't know what he was."

"But you went through the Change, which means you have no soul. No soul, no memories," I argued, my head hurt. "I tried reading yours, Hash and Ryan's minds before, but there's a field that's around them that's thinner, but just as powerful as the field that's around Zidane's." I looked back at him exasperated. "Although it would explain why you aren't as hostile as a normal wolf would be."

_Soul, I need your assistance_, I called mentally. Within an instant, the Reaper of the Soul stood before me. It's height stood nearly sixteen feet. The scythe in it's skeletal hand no longer extended it's blade, but from the tip a chain twisted around down it to a clear hourglass.

_I come at your request, my lady_, it's echoed voice said.

_Does this boy have a soul?_ I asked, staring at Ayden with grave eyes.

Soul didn't seem to turn toward him, instead it said in many tones of haunting voices, _Aye, my lady. The boy does._

_Why?_ I asked.

Suddenly the Reaper of the Mind dissolved into appearance next to Soul. _Because he is one who's mind is protected by the Angel. He is important to the one whom you hold precious._

_And who do I hold precious?_

Heart materialized from the air. It's hood tilted at me curiously. _My lady, you deny it._

_I deny what I do not understand_, I said. I shook my head and all three vanished like smoke.

"Well, this has been a wonderful party, but I don't regret that I must depart," I said, standing up and walking out the mouth of the cave. I felt Zidane on my heels. "You don't have to follow me."

"It's ok, I want to," he replied, giving me a smile as a shot a glare at him.

"You're supposed to hate me," I stated.

"Well too bad, I don't. Doom on you."

"Really? Even after hearing my history with you?"

"Really," he said, suddenly I felt him take my cold hand into his. Our temperatures colliding with each other. It made the hairs on my arms stand up. Immediately, I yanked it away.

"Don't," I growled.

"Why not?"

"Because, it's you're fault I Guarded with you, even more so now. Hence, stay away from me."

"Awe, come on, you know you want to," he beckoned, nudging his hand against mine. I hissed, teleporting a few hundred feet ahead of him.

"You know what I think?" I heard him call.

"I don't care," I yelled back.

"You want to deny the feeling of being a Guard, yet you know it's not just the Guard that's making you feel this way."

I hesitated, but kept walking.


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26 - Cube ****立方體**

As I was walking, followed by Zidane who didn't seem to want to try catching up from a few hundred feet behind me, the murky gray of the forest started to fog. There was nothing to be seen as it grew thicker, only about a two foot radius could be somewhat seeable. A slow pulse started to build from my seal. It was quiet, but I started to hear Zidane talk. Apparently, Ayden had decided to join him.

"So you and I were friends?" I heard Zidane ask.

"Ever since preschool. Grew up together and everything," Ayden replied.

"What's preschool?"

"A place where you learn meaningless things. Otherwise it's nothing important nowadays."

"I don't get it."

"Not supposed to. That's what school is all about, especially when you get into high school. Then nothing in life makes sense until you graduate."

"Did we graduate?"

"I did. You dropped out."

"Dropped out?"

"Stopped coming. You were a rebel then. A loner-type person. And from the looks of it, it seems you still are in a way. But being with a girl is a new one."

"You mean being with Koliko? How?"

"'Cause the reason you stopped school was because girls wouldn't stop bugging you, and me but I liked the attention." I could just see his smirk. "Anyway, when you went running into the forest I could just barely hear you say 'She's here' the whole way until you ran into Koliko." How nice that he feels comfortable enough to say my name. "And here you are again, but alive, with her. I guess she's the exception when it comes to women, you never liked any before."

"Koliko saved my life. Quite a few times. Plus, we have this whole 'Guard' thing that's like Impressing for your type. But I liked her way before all that, from the first time I saw her."

"That's really cheesy."

"I know but it's the best way to explain it."

They were silent for a while. I hadn't a clue how they knew they were still following me and it ticked me off.

"Where are we headed?" I heard Zidane finally call after me.

"None of you're business. Leave me alone," I yelled back.

"I think she likes me."

"I can tell," Ayden said sarcastically.

"I'll keep her."

A restraining pull made me stop even though I didn't want to. My stomach felt oddly empty. I let out a quiet sigh, turning towards where I could hear their footsteps. As they appeared from the fog I crossed my arms in irritation.

Zidane looked at me curiously. "What?"

I rolled my eyes. Kneeling down next to a small dead tree that was basically looked just a stick. Slowly waving my left hand over it a gradual sensation of heat spread through my hand. The tree popped and snapped, growing a few gray leaves before a white flower bloomed and dropped, turning into a striped white and gray pear. Gingerly, I picked it from the stem. Upon standing, I held it out to Zidane.

"Eat it. A few days without food isn't good for your human body, even if my injecting solution into your blood stream makes you feel better." He took the pear, taking a bite out of it without hesitation. The empty feeling in my stomach disappeared.

"How'd you do that?" Zidane asked in awe after swallowing.

I shrugged. "It just happened. Comes with Guarding I guess."

"But the plant was dead."

"Plants adapt quicker than anything else. It may look dead, but it stays alive just barely to survive. Otherwise, everything on the planet would die from starvation."

He took another bite from the pear. "It's delicious."

"She definitely likes you," Ayden said, putting his hands into a dirty brown leather jacket's pockets.

I narrowed my eyes at him, glaring, while Zidane smirked. Letting a low short growl escape from my chest before turning into the woods. They disappeared from sight, but didn't follow. Which didn't matter since I wasn't going anywhere. I found a fairly large tree, branches sticking out every which way. I broke one off that was about the length and size of my arm before turning back towards them.

When they reappeared, Zidane had dropped the core of the pear onto the ground and buried it. When catching site of me they watched even more curiously. I stood away from Ayden a few feet, holding the stick up.

"Here, boy," I beckoned boredly, waving the stick in front of him, then throwing it a fair distance behind them. "Fetch."

Ayden looked at me skeptically. "Fetch?" Zidane chuckled, nonchalantly walking to stand behind me. "You look more like the animal here," Ayden pointed out, gesturing toward my ears and hidden tail. "But unfortunately I don't have a ball of yarn." He felt around his jacket. His face lit when finding something, he reached into the inside pocket and tossed whatever it was at me. I didn't bother catching it, but it hung in the air in front of my face.

It was some sort of cube. With blue, yellow, red, white, green, and orange mixed squares that were aligned three by three. I looked at it puzzled, plucking it from where it floated.

"There, play with that instead. I'm sure it'll keep you entertained," Ayden said, a smile playing at the sides of his lips.

"What is it?" I asked suspiciously, yet curious.

"A Rubik's cube. Match all the colors up by twisting it."

I hesitated, glancing up at him. The smile showed now. I felt Zidane's breath hot on my cheek, a light feeling came to my stomach as he watched me turn a side so the colors moved. I twisted it again, turning it and turning it to try making the colors stay together. But each time I got one side a full color and tried to finish another, they would get all messed up again. What was once something entertaining started to frustrate me as I aggressively turned the colors this way and that.

Zidane reached a hand over my shoulder, taking the cube away after it started to crack from my holding it too tightly. Ayden tried not to laugh, but it wasn't working. I growled at him, crossing my arms and not even glancing at Zidane. I never wanted to see that stupid cube thing ever again.

Within a few minutes, Zidane held the cube in front of my face. All the colors were aligned on the sides, together and perfect. I looked at it in fascination as he dropped it into my hands.

"How'd you do that?" I asked critically, turning the sides, but not daring the mess the colors up again.

"I don't know. It just happened." He shrugged.

"Zidane was always a smart aleck," Ayden mentioned, hands in his pockets again, smiling.

"But how?"

"Algorithms. Patterns that are used to make it work."

"What's the pattern?"

"That's a secret. You just have to figure it out on your own, Miss Kitty." Ayden took the cube from my hands and mixed the colors to imperfection before handing it back to me.

I glared at him. "Call me that one more time, dog, and see what happens to you." He held his hands up in surrender. I heard Zidane start to laugh. "What?"

"Look." He pointed to the cube. I followed his gaze. My hands had been moving, following a pull that seemed like instinct, but I barely noticed, they now held a perfect cube in them. Colors aligned and all.

"How in the world…?"

"I think you're right. We've definitely Guarded a lot more."


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27 - Those Among You 那些在您之中**

Slightly stunned turned into annoyance once Zidane noted on our Guard. I held the cube as if it was some kind of disease now.

"I hate you," I stated, glaring at him.

He smiled cockily. "Dully noted."

There was a slight, barely noticeable, disturbance that vibrated through the ground. Had I not been wearing shoes it would've been a crystal clear feeling. But, nonetheless, the trick worked. Bending earth so that I had a very wide radar of anything within a certain radius around me. I had ignored the vibration before, since it only seemed like an animal was walking around. But this vibration had a little more quickness to it. My guess was that they had fallen down.

I sighed. Taking the Rubik's cube in my right hand and merely tossing it to my right. Well, not really toss, more like throw, since it went a little more than 50 yards away. The sound of it landing on something hard echoed from the gray labyrinth of fog.

"Ow. Damn it," a voice said with frustration. The sound of panting close by made me stiffen.

"Raelki?" Ayden said in shock.

It didn't take long before a large gray wolf dissolved from the murky-ness. When catching sight of me it started to growl. Of which I, whom is not a 'scaredy-cat', growled back even more menacing. But before I could lunge at the thing Zidane wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

"Easy," he whispered. But I was beyond easy, I was in a state of horror and contentment at the same time. With his arms around me and being pressed so close behind me I could feel every pint of blood inside of him pulsing. Singing to me a delicious melody that I wanted to listen to forever, yet drink it at the same time. So you could rule out 'easy', everything had wiped from my mind at the moment.

A dark figure strode cautiously from the depths behind the wolf, who seemed to had calmed down somewhat, though it's eyes never left me. "Hey, Ayden," Raelki greeted quietly. Dusting off her green shirt and baggy guy pants.

"How'd you find me?" he asked.

"It's not hard to track you, geez. It's called instinct," she replied irritated. "Nuke and I have been following your scent of the last hour or so trying to catch up."

Ayden's tone stayed the same as he asked, "How's the Nation?" This made her hard expression soften a little.

"Weak. A large number of the Nation's population went to watch, now they're nothing but bodies. They're still holding up though." She tossed the cube to him intensely. "You didn't have to hit me with that you know."

Ayden put his hands up in defense, pointing toward me (who was frozen in my own little world). "She did it."

Raelki turned piercing green eyes towards Zidane and I, as if she hadn't been aware that we were there. The feeling of her stare was enough to put some sense back into my head that I pulled out from Zidane's grasp. I took a deep breath of release before turning my abyssal gaze back to meet hers. The instant our eyes met hers seemed to soften, the rims becoming filled with water.

"I'm sorry!" she cried, dropping to her knees. Water starting to run down her face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did. I just wanted revenge. It's what seemed to fuel my existence all these years. But…but…when I was able to have it, it didn't seem to matter anymore…" The wolf moved closed, whining from her distress and licking at the tears from her cheeks as she sniffled. Ayden had moved closer too, kneeling down next to her with a hand on her shoulder for comfort. Raelki looked up at me sadly. "I'd understand if you killed me now. I'd accept it."

I tilted my head to the side, not letting what little surprise that I felt show. "You're weird." Was all I said, before turning around and starting off once more.

"Why?" I heard her yell. "Why won't you kill me!?"

I stopped suddenly, seeing Zidane move to my side as I only turned my head toward her. "You wanted to kill me years ago, but that fire burned out as soon as you realized you would have nothing left to live for if I were gone. And then you realized that nothing satisfying would come from your revenge, so you gave up on it after also seeing that you didn't know who or what you were in this world anymore. Saved by the humanity that remains from the ones you love, because you knew they wouldn't want this, coming from a 'peaceful' wolf tribe after all. But the main reason you didn't kill me is because you killed your own father who stopped you from coming after me, and now you want me to kill you in the same torturous way I killed your brothers and sister." I smirked heartlessly. "Simply put: You are too pathetic to be worth killing."

There was shock in her eyes. I knew by the way they seemed to change shades of their piercing green that she was reliving every single moment of her life that I had made as a personal hell. Without another word or look I started off again.

"That's harsh," Zidane commented.

I shrugged. "I'm not much of a sympathetic person. Scratch that. I'm _not_ a sympathetic, empathetic person."

"I think you can be when you want to."

"No I can't," I snapped at him, hearing Ayden and Raelki start to follow, along with the stupid four-legged canine.

"And why not?" he asked, un-phased by my tone.

"Because I still have things to take care of. People to kill."

"And how can you be so certain that these are worth it after that speech you just gave?" Zidane asked critically.

I smiled evilly, my somewhat descended fangs showing. "Because unlike her, _I_ have nothing to hold me back. I'm heartless and soulless, it doesn't matter to me as long as they die."

"I worry about you," he whispered almost inaudibly, but before I could respond he changed the subject. "So where are we headed?"

I mentally slapped myself. Not only had I not succeeded in getting rid of Ayden, but now I had two others following me too. Grr.

"That's it!" I said in frustration. Rounding on the wolves I growled at them. "You two, leave. This isn't a damn social event, you aren't needed. And you--" I pointed to Zidane "--are coming with me until we get your bloody ass back to the safe house to get rid of you." They all stared at me in surprise.

"Ok, yea--no." Zidane smirked at me. Confidence shown in his eyes and told me I wouldn't win this argument.

"I hate you," I growled and stalked off.

"She definitely likes you," Ayden laughed.

"She's a definite keeper," Zidane said, I could just hear the stupid smile on his pretty face.

The walk took longer than I had hoped. In a few days we crossed the border into vampire territory. I couldn't help but have a strange feeling that something was wrong as we neared the safe house. Zidane must've felt it too as he came up by my right side.

Nuke, the wolf, who happened to be Silvyna's before she was killed, was trotting a few yards ahead of us. The sudden barking and growling froze us all. The smell of smoke started to drift towards us. Zidane was the first to take off. His speed was blinding. I followed not a second behind him, the other two trailing after us.

We entered the clearing that held the bunker under the dead field of grass. The land mines had been discharged, leaving black circles where they once were. Bodies lie on the ground bloody and broken, that was--vampire bodies. I smelled the lingering scent of death that hung heavily in the air.

Zidane ran to the entrance of the bunker. The door lay wide open. Streaks of blood spewing forth from it. Without hesitance Zidane made his way inside. Only then did I realize that the reason I was breathing heavily was because I felt his anxiety.

"Ryan! Hash! Raven!" he called. Running down the hallways to God knows where. I followed close behind, looking at the dead torn-up pale bodies and limbs that lay on the floor and against blood splattered walls. They reminded me of my dream when I was in a coma. But I knew that those that were in my dream were from all the humans, hunters, werewolves, and vampires that I had killed throughout my lifetime.

Among the bodies I found Ida. Her eyes had been gouged out, and her body ripped in half.

"RYAN! HASH!" Zidane screamed in desperation. It was quiet then, as we waited for his echoes to die down.

"…Zidane?" a practically inaudible voice questioned.


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28 - Closer ****更加緊密**

Zidane and I froze where we were. The voice was so quiet and strained, yet it had a gross scratch to it that made it seem impossible to be coming from a human. We listened closely, trying to find its origin while moving bodies as fast and quietly as we could. My body moved on its own, motivated by Zidane's own. Muscle mimicry.

I called it within myself to intensify my hearing. Instantly, every sound was more detailed. I could hear the blood on the walls dripping into puddles before, but now I could even hear the drops sliding down the walls like nails down a chalkboard. And then I heard it. A very faint heartbeat. Fluttering to cling to life. Instinct made my body follow the sound. The quiet lullaby of death.

When I reached a pile of bodies I instantly started digging through them. Not caring that blood was smearing on my face or starting to soak my hair.

"Zidane!" I called behind me as I pulled bodies off. "He's under here."

Not even half a second later was Zidane throwing carcasses from the pile. Reaching the shallow breathing body of Ryan Smith. His ocean blue eyes were darkened and didn't seem to see us in front of him. His brown hair wet with blood. Zidane lifted him carefully, holding his upper body up. Ryan groaned from the pain, trying to catch his breath. Blood trickled from his mouth and nose. His chest was slashed open, showing his rib cage, slow moving lungs, and wavering heart as it labored to keep beating. One of his legs was broken, I could see the bone sticking through the skin. His shoulder was disjointed. I stood frozen as I looked at him. I never would have imagined this could happen to Ryan.

"It's ok, buddy, I'm here now," Zidane choked, tears started to stream down his face. "I'm here." A feeling flowed into my like water. It made me think of blue, which led to Zidane's tears, which made me realize that I was sad. Sadness? Had I ever felt such a thing? "Where's Hash?"

"Zi…dane…" Ryan gurgled, more blood spilling from his mouth. "Ha…ssssh…is…gone."

Zidane stifled a cry. "Shh. You're going to be ok now." Zidane held him as gently and as close as he could to him. Tears dripping onto Ryan's face and mixing with the scarlet liquid. He turned to me then. Gold eyes burning with the sadness I felt. "Please save him."

My eyes widened in shock. Because I wanted to, but I knew the answer. "I can't."

"Why? Why can't you? You saved me! Save Ryan!" he yelled.

The sadness inside of me grew so heavy I dropped to my knees. Strands of my black hair falling in front of my face. "I can't. He's human, my venom will kill him even more painfully than he feels now. You're blood could handle it because you have power to override the evil in it. But he can't." He looked away from my then, biting his bottom lip to stop the screams he wanted to let out.

"Zi…dane…" Hash choked, tears pouring like rain from his eyes. "I…don't want…to die." He gasped for air. I watched as his heart started beating faster, the lungs starting to tremble.

I immediately saw the Four Reapers standing over him. _Don't you _dare_ lay a scythe on him_, I threatened. Their hoods nodded, the blades withdrawing.

_Yes, my lady_, they all said at once with hollow voices.

"You won't," I said, Zidane snapped his head back to me. I was surprised by the burst of confidence I felt, enough so that I had spoken before I meant to. I locked my eyes with Zidane. "Your blood is angelic. It's pure, not evil. You can save him with your blood." _My blood_, I thought, but pushed it to the back of my mind. This was no time to be possessive. "But because it's angelic, it's immortal. Believe me Zidane when I say that giving someone immortality is the worst curse you could give anyone."

His nodded in understanding. "But it can also be a blessing," he said. "I'll do it." Slowly, I moved to the other side of Ryan. Taking Zidane's free hand and turning the wrist upwards. _MY BLOOD!!_ my instinct's voice screamed. _MY BLOOD!!_ I shook my head as I reluctantly slashed my nail across his warm tender wrist. Clasping my hands over my mouth as my fangs extended fully, closing my eyes tightly as my vision instantly went red, the smell soaking into my nostrils, the sweet loving smell of my chocolate filling the air around me. I held myself down. My will and sanity barely clinging to existence.

I heard gasping and dared to open my crimson eyes. Zidane pressed his wrist into Ryan's mouth._ MY BLOOD!!_ I lunged. But before I could rip Zidane's arm away from Ryan to take it as my own I flew backward.

Ayden stood in front of me, fully changed into his werewolf form. Raelki beside him in her human form, moving toward the others. He growled at me. "Wake…up."

"No. It's my blood!" I screeched, lunging at him.

He slammed into a metal wall, indenting it ruthlessly. I turned quickly. Running back toward Zidane, but was grabbed by my shoulders and smashed into a wall. I struggled, thrashing my legs and moving roughly. Preparing to merely rip his head off by just thinking, it to get to Zidane.

"Calm down, Koliko." Zidane's voice shattered some of my insanity. I looked at him with cruel eyes.

"It's mine," I pouted. "My blood."

He gave me a small smile, golden eyes gentle as they watched me. "It's still yours." He lifted his bleeding wrist and reached out toward me. "Come here."

Ayden hesitated before lowering me toward the floor. I pulled away from his grip and ran to Zidane, slowing before I dropped beside him. He pulled me closer to him. Moving around until I was sitting on his lap, leaning back against his chest. Holding his wrist in front of me he said, "Take it."

The hostility was gone from my mind, all I wanted was his blood. So gently I took his arm into my hands, moving it up to my face. Licking the trailing lines of the red streams. The flavor burst in my mouth and I quickly covered the wound with my mouth. Drinking greedily as that hot liquid slid down my throat. As I drank, I listened to his heartbeat, the music it made, his breathe as it grew heavier in rapture to the toxin in my saliva that made it so it didn't hurt. Zidane's arm around my waist tightened, holding me closer and pressing his wrist harder against my mouth. "Koliko," he sighed lovingly in my ear.

My eyes snapped open then. Realization and sanity hit me and I moved to get away from him, but instead he held me down as if he already knew what I had planned to do. "It's ok," he crooned. "It's ok." I shook my head. Like bloody hell it was ok. I pulled his arm away from my mouth reluctantly, licking the scar to make it close. He let go of me then, but I stayed situated in his lap instead of getting out. Which bugged me, but being there just felt right as he lay his head on my shoulder.

Someone coughed next to us. I turned my head to see Ryan struggling to sit up. The gaping wound on his chest was closed, not even a scar was left. His leg was healed, judging from where Raelki was sitting she helped set it straight, and his shoulder was back in place. All that was torn up about him was his clothes. He smiled like a kid at me.

"Hey, K, how's it goin'?"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't call me K, I hate nicknames. And from where I'm sitting, pretty bloody."

Ryan laughed and I felt Zidane's body tremble behind me as he laughed too. "Right, right." I sighed. I meant about the bloody bodies that surrounded us, not my episode of drinking Zidane's blood, the morons.

"Now I'm going to change the subject to a more serious one by asking, where's Hash?"

That did change Ryan's facial expression. What once was light laughter now turned gloomy. "He was taken by the vampires with most of our people here. Those who resisted were killed. Ida was killed and Raven was taken captive."

"Hash gave up?" I asked critically, ignoring the fact about Raven though I knew most likely they'd use her for more than just blood use. "And how'd they find this place?"

"No, he fought back, but one of the guys who once was a vampire said he had a connection with Zidane, the Angel. So they took him. There was a scout vampire who followed you guys when you first came here. So he told the others."

"Why not take you too? You're the same way."

"Yeah, but none of the 'once were' guys were there to tell them that."

"They're most likely going to use them for blood, and Hash for information," Zidane stated lifting his head. I nodded in agreement purposely avoiding eye-contact.

"What are we going to do about it?" Ayden asked, moving to sit by Raelki. He held what once were his pants up, and the shirt he wore had ripped to pieces and hung in loose strips on his shoulders.

"'We'? There's no 'we'," I said irritated. "I'm taking Zidane and Ryan to a different safe house and you two are leaving. If you insist on staying, then after we get to a safe house you're all leaving me the hell alone."

"Aside from the leaving you alone part, another safe house sounds like a good plan," Zidane commented. I wanted to glare at him, but kept my eyes averted. "Right now we should burn the bodies and get rid of the smell. Then rest up for bit. There are supplies and food here the vamps didn't seem to destroy."

"Leave getting rid of the bodies to me," I said. "Twisting elements comes in handy once in a while."


	30. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29 - Return 回歸**

As I stood to walk back toward the entry, Zidane grabbed my arm. "Thank you," he said.

I glanced at him then, my vision fading from it's hazardous red. "For what?"

"Knowing how to save Ryan's life."

I shrugged. "He's a special kid." I looked down at where Ryan was still sitting, he smiled up at me. Once again I shrugged and walked off holding my hands outwards. A black haze developed around my fingers and then slowly the bodies, limbs, and even the blood started to move as they followed me.

I concentrated. Calling for anything dead inside the bunker to follow me. They slid grossly from where they lay. I heard footsteps of the others as they followed too. The floor was covered in blood, but every step I took it moved out of the way before going along with everything else.

"That's really creepy, Koliko," I heard Ryan comment.

I let out a dry laugh. "Comes with the species I suppose." I stepped outside the bunker. Blood defied gravity as it climbed the stairs to the outside and spilled onto the ground, mixing with the dark blue, almost black, blood from the few vampire bodies that lay on the ground, turning it a tint of dark purple. The bodies and limbs flopped around me as I pointed to the field surrounding us. I watched as Ida's dead carcass flipped back and forth before settling a few yards in front of me. Looking at her, I felt disappointment. I wanted to be the one that killed her.

"Now what?" Ryan asked coming to stand next to me, Zidane coming up to the other side.

"Want to know a fun fact about bodies?" I asked boredly, wiping what remained of Zidane's blood from around my mouth.

"Sure, what?"

With one of my hands still held out, I balled it into a fist. "From earth we were made, and to earth we shall return," I said, opening my hand. My fingers shook as I stretched them out, at the same time the field around up started to rip open, the carcasses and limbs falling in the crevices while blood poured after them like a soup. Then when everything had fallen into the black depths of which the earth had ripped, I closed my shaking hand and the earth swallowed up all. Leaving an empty field that was only scarred from the land mines.

"Another fun fact," I said, dropping my hand, "is that those bodies, especially the vampire's, will fertilize the soil here."

"What about the smell?" Ayden asked, sounding like he was holding is nose.

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Lifting my right hand I snapped my fingers. Black fire erupted at their tips, not red like it had been when I first showed Zidane. Then I held my hand and flames toward Ryan. "Want to try?" I asked, when I saw his awed expression. He nodded his head enthusiastically. "You're will seems like you could be a Producer." Taking his hand I flicked some fire onto it. As before with Zidane, it froze. But after explaining to him about it, the flame did a hiccup, turned blue, and continued burning in his hand.

"Why is it blue now?" he asked in fascination.

"Because you were near death, but Zidane's pure blood saved you. My fire is black because of my power, it turned blue in your hand because of whatever power you got from Zidane. Congrats," I said. "That's the first blue flame I've ever seen in my life."

I heard another flame burst behind me. I turned to see that a flame tinted more gold burned on Zidane's palm. My eyes widened. "A purification flame," I commented. He smiled.

"Well then." I gestured at both of them. "Set the field on fire."

"Wait, what?" Ryan asked, the fire crawled up his arm and around his bare shoulders like a snake.

"Helps it grow faster." Was all I said before hurling my flame at the field. The other two joined me. I held my arms out, concentrating all the flames so they didn't spread onto the dead forest. When the grass was all burned Ayden moved from behind me. I saw snow melt from the forest as he drifted it over the remaining flames and saturated the ground. Smoke filled the air and made the smell even worse.

I turned to Raelki boredly. "And what can you do?"

She froze under my gaze. "I, uh…"

"She doesn't have elemental controls," Ayden replied.

"Just brainwashing then, huh?" I turned and blew out a deep breath toward the smoke. A gust of wind blew from behind us. Making all the smoke and smells dissipate. Nothing of the scene a few moments ago remained, only a black burnt field, and the lack of people in the bunker.

"Well then." I turned and went back into the bunker. The halls were clean yet desolate. What once were filled with hateful glares and whispers of me were filled with nothing more than silence. My footsteps didn't even make a sound.

"What are you going to do now?" someone asked next to me. Startled by the sudden noise I pushed and held them against the wall ready to kill, before I realized it was Zidane. "Well geez you don't have to get forceful," he teased. "All you need to do is ask. Wait, scratch that, you don't have to ask at all."

I rolled my eyes showing my irritation and backed off. "How did you do that? Usually I can hear your footsteps."

"Same way you did the Rubik's cube without realizing it?" he guessed.

"Well that's annoying." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I was just wandering around."

"You should shower. A face as beautiful as yours shouldn't be so bloody," he said, tracing a finger down my cheek.

I felt a strange fluttery feeling inside me. "Am I supposed to be flattered by that comment?" I asked critically. Embarrassed, maybe? No. I never experienced those things in my life, I didn't even know what they should feel like.

"Whatever you want to feel I suppose."

"What are you going to do?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm going to get Ryan to a safe house. I don't know about the other two since they can handle themselves. Then I'm going to save Hash and the others." I froze. Just the thought of Zidane putting himself in danger made me protective. Once again, I blame it on the Guard.

"You can't save them. They're most likely already dead," I said quickly, then whispered, "I won't let you go."

He smirked, but his eyes became gentle. "Well then you're just going to have to come with me, aren't you?"

I tried holding a glare at him, but it was unsuccessful. "You are supposed to save the world, not put yourself at risk right in front of Death's door," I argued.

"And in order to save the world I have to take those risks. I won't be some coward who sits back and waits for a safe opportunity to do something when others are getting killed."

I looked away. Frustration brewing inside of me. Then he turned my face to look back at him, his eyes seemed different somehow as he face drew closer to mine. His breath making the hairs on my neck stand and the fluttery feeling making me feel lightheaded. "Do you still not know?"

"Know what?" His hand dropped and he pulled away.

"Know what, what?" he asked back. I stared at him critically. It was like he had forgotten what he had just said.

"Never mind."

He shrugged. "Here." Bending down he picked up a plastic sack that was full of clothes. Black clothes, thank goodness. "Take a shower."


	31. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30 - What Is Love? ****什麼是愛？**

Like a statue I stood underneath the burning hot running water. Watching the blood flow down my body into the drain on the floor. Stream filled the room like the fog of the outside world. I touched the side of my face where Zidane's hand had just been. Knowing then that if I were human, blood would've rushed to my face and tinged it red. What was wrong with me?

There was the sound of feet patting the wet floor as they entered the room that snapped me out of my strange facade. I glanced at the door on the other end, the steam not hindering my vision of Raelki.

"Excuse my intrusion," she apologized quietly, looking like she was about to turn and run off.

Squeezing some shampoo into my hands with my tail I said, "Just keep your distance."

I heard a metal handle turning. Water sprayed out and I smelt to coolness of it, which contradicted with the steam in the air.

"How did you know I killed my father?" she suddenly asked.

My ears twitched from the echo in the room. "I saw you thinking about it. The history behind your eyes that you were reliving for a brief moment." I rubbed my ears, leaving a thin layer of soap over the soft black fur, but careful as I rinsed that it didn't leak to the inside.

We were silent then, but I could feel the tension in the air. Not that I minded, I didn't feel inclined to say anything. Since I had lead a long life of isolation talking wasn't exactly my most favorite thing to do in the world.

Suddenly I heard a voice in my head. _I love her._ I froze in shock. Zidane's voice…was in my head…and I wasn't even trying to read it.

"What's love?" I asked, shattering the silence between Raelki and I.

"What?" she asked back, startled by my subtlety.

"What is love?" I asked again, cupping my hands and watching them overflow with water. "It's one of those emotions, isn't it? What does it feel like?"

Raelki hesitantly turned her shower off and walked over to me, twisting on a shower just next to mine. She stood quietly for a long time as we washed our hair. "It's a wonderful feeling," she said quietly. "You love someone who you really like more than anyone else. That someone who you'd be willing to do anything for, just to make them happy." She smiled gently, remembering something. "Love is kinda hard to describe. But once you feel it you just know."

"I don't think I've ever felt that way for anyone," I replied slowly. "I've been isolating myself for so long. Even my emotions have disappeared." I didn't mention, however, that they seemed to slowly be coming back.

"I think you can feel that way once you find someone who loves you. You seem like the kind of person who needs to know someone loves you before you can love them yourself."

"And what kind of person are you? Did you love someone?"

She nodded, smiling. "Caleb Sequoia. He was my everything. Excepted me for everything that I am, even though he was only human. We were going to get married. But he died too soon…" She trailed off, and I wasn't an expert on emotions, but I knew not to ask how even though I could've known without saying anything, I didn't pry.

"You feel a lot of things that seem so confusing at times and you don't know how to handle it. You don't want it one moment, the next you do. It can drive you crazy."

I snorted. "Sounds like too much of a hassle to me."

She laughed. "But in the end love makes everything worth it. Especially with that person you love. You can get passed anything. Sometimes you can even love someone so much, you will never love another ever again."

"And this is what you believe? What love is?"

She nodded, turning her green eyes to me. "I believe you make love what you want it to be. Believe what you believe it to be. And yes, this is what I believe love is."

"You're strange," I said, finally looking at her. She smiled.

"You've made that perfectly clear to me," she laughed. I sighed. She really was.

Turning my water off I strolled back to the changing room. Casting air around me to dry off quickly. My wet hair fell straight and dry down my back within an instant. I shrugged on my clothes and left.

As I walked I could still hear Zidane's voice echoing in my head. _I love her_. He had thought. And I didn't think he knew I had heard it by accident.

"Koliko!" I heard somebody call. But before I could turn around, I was smashed into a hug. "It's about time you got out. It's been an hour, geez." I pulled the arms around me away, looking up at Ryan who smiled brightly.

"Want to come with me? I was going to get some grub from the kitchen, I'm starving." As if on queue, his stomach growled, he smiled sheepishly.

I smiled a small smile at him. "Ok, let's go."

He smiled widely then, hooked his arm through mine and lead the way. Along the journey he asked, "You don't eat do you?"

"No," I replied dully.

"What about thirsty? Like whenever you're around Zidane?"

At the mention of his name I felt a flutter in my stomach. "Only when his blood is exposed, sometimes when I'm too close to him I get thirsty. Otherwise, I try my best to control it."

"How about me? Do I smell good?"

I glanced at him. "Your blood smells good, but it's not appetizing to me."

"So it's only Zidane's blood you're attracted to then, huh?" I nodded. "Even though some of it is in me now?" Again I nodded.

"It just smells better with it inside you is all."

As we approached the cafeteria, we could hear clashing of metal and yelling. Ryan let me go and ran inside, I followed slowly behind.

"You burnt the freakin' toast!" I heard him yell.

"It's not my fault, Ayden's the one who's trying to cook," Zidane laughed. His voice penetrated my head and seemed to echo within me. I leaned against the wall next the door.

Raelki came up to me, damp hair clung to her neck, looking at me questioningly. I waved her off and she went inside.

"Ayden!" I heard her gasp. "You should know better than to cook, you idiot."

"Well it's not like I meant to burn the bread."

"You used the microwave instead of the toaster. Come on, man. You lived when they invented it, you should know how to use them," Ryan complained.

"Give him a break Ryan, I'm sure he hasn't had the need to use this stuff for a few hundred years. Besides, you can't expect everyone to be as good a cook as Hash," Zidane said, still laughing.

"Yeah, I guess." Ryan popped his head out the door and looked at me. "Well? Aren't you coming in?"

I hesitated before nodding slowly and following him inside. I caught sight of Zidane halfway through the door. I froze instantly. His eyes met my stare and he smiled.

"Hey, Koliko. How was your shower?"

And for once in my life, I could've swore I felt my dead heart beat.


	32. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31 - Departure ****離開**

"So, what safe house are we headed to?" Ryan asked, as we all walked out of the bunker.

"I was thinking of one in the werewolf territory," Zidane said, grabbing my side and moving me away as Nuke came running up. "Since their population has hit an all-time low, I figure it'd be safer there."

The wolf ignored me and went to sniff Ayden, Raelki, then Ryan who he licked on the cheek. I was disgusted, but it didn't last long when I realized how close I was to Zidane and I froze. He started running his hands through my hair.

"I've never been to another safe house before," Ryan said quietly, kneeling down to scratch Nuke's head.

"You'll like it. Not as big as our bunker here, but it's good enough."

"Huh…" Ryan ran his hand over the wolf's course fur. Looking up at Ayden he asked, "Is he yours?"

Ayden shook his head, "No, he was Silvyna's. My wolf is white, Odin, she's probably looking for me back at the Capital."

"Do you have one?" Ryan asked, turning to Raelki.

She shook her head. "A wolf didn't choose me," she replied.

I hadn't realized that I had been holding my breath, until I let out an agitated sigh. Nation's cultures were a bore to me. Of course, I was the outcast, they had nothing to do with me. I barely held any connection with my vampire heretics. So I started walking, my feet moved by themselves. I let out a quieter sigh, I could tell that Guard had gotten stronger since I had last drank from Zidane, but now I felt that it was getting stronger on its own.

"Wolves choose you?" Ryan asked, mystified. He really was such a little kid for his age and looks.

"In most cases," Ayden answered. "Sometimes, though, different animals will choose you instead."

"Like what?"

"Birds, foxes, predatory animals mainly. Even a horse. Depends on your personality. Sometimes more than one animal will choose you too," Ayden explained. "In Raelki's case, a bear chose her."

I didn't have to look behind me to know that Ryan's face was filled with fascination. "No way. Really? What kind? What's it's name?"

Raelki laughed. "She's a brown bear, I named her Ukama."

"Does everyone get chosen?" A stick flew over my head and fell a few yards ahead, Nuke rushed by after it.

"Not everyone. But even some in the other Nation's will have an animal choose them. Though, since werewolves are closer to nature than them, we usually get picked more." I had to smirk, if they knew what in the world chose me I'm sure they'd die on the spot.

"What's that look for?" Zidane asked next to me. His gaze on my face made my cold skin feel hot. I still couldn't look at him after what I had heard. But the more he acted the same around me, the more I thought I had just made his voice up in my head.

"Have you ever seen the ocean?" I asked.

"Not up close, but I've come within a few miles before."

"It used to be one of my most favorite sites. Until it turned into a polluted swamp." I frowned. "Though I guess it's cleaner than everything else."

Suddenly, I felt something press against my back, leaning on me. "What in the world are you doing!?"

Zidane flung his arms over my shoulders and leaned his head against the side of mine. "I'm tired, you should give me a piggyback."

"Like there's any way in hell that's going to happen," I growled, annoyed. He didn't even have to tiptoe as he leaned on and over me. "Didn't you sleep last night?'

I felt him shrug. "Yes and no. I was distracted by you. Since you got back from the shower you've been really quiet."

"I've always been like that. You just haven't noticed because you ask me questions all the time."

"Just 'cause I like hearing your voice," he whispered. I felt a flutter inside me. My seal burned, just like it did whenever Zidane was around me, but this time the burn felt good.

I noticed then that he was practically asleep on me and walking at the same time. Any other day I would've shrugged him off, but today I didn't want to. For some reason, even though he would've been light as a feather if I did carry him, I could feel his weight as he leaned on me and I liked it. I ran my fingers through his clean, soft black hair. But it wasn't like I was going to tell him that.

It took about three days to cross the nearest border to the werewolf territory. Then another four to get to wherever we were supposed to go. All the while, the feeling I had around Zidane kept getting worse. The thought of his thoughts in my head never did go away like I thought they would.

"Almost there," Zidane said, pointing toward building tops just above the trees. Something seemed familiar about this place.

"I thought you lived underground," Raelki criticized.

"Oh, it's underground, just under the city," Zidane replied as we emerged from the forest edge.

"Las Vegas?" I asked.

"That's what the signs say." Smartass.

Beside us, Ayden let out a laugh. "You lived in plain sight."

"Pretty much." Zidane smiled. "Though whenever we came out to raid the place we'd have to run away if we were seen so we didn't give away our safe house's position." I felt him look at me, but I didn't return it.

"It's smart though, since wolves prefer living the wilderness than buildings," I stated.

"Let's go!" Ryan said, running toward the city. Nuke followed close behind.

As we walked down the Las Vegas Strip, I heard quiet clicks all around us. I stopped where I was, the other's not two seconds after looking back at me.

"I don't think we're invited," I said. I lifted my hand, twisting it in a circle to point everywhere. I felt my seal burning, a different voice calling for me to kill, but I tried to keep myself in check as long as I could. "I recommend you make a truce before something bad happens," I strained to say.

Zidane nodded quickly. "Nate! Nate, are you out there!?" he yelled. "It's me, Zidane. If you're out there, it's ok." He waved his hands over his head, the red piece of cloth in hand to signal he was a raider. He turned around to look behind us, though I had already heard the steps. "We come in peace," he joked, smiling.

"Yet there's a vampire and werewolves here," a gruff and scratchy old voice said.

"They're on our side," Zidane informed, he looked at me and I glared at him for putting me on sides. "At least, they're neutral, anyway."

"Pretty much exiled," Ayden commented, slowly turning around. Raelki as well, I turned only slightly, my head reeled with deathly voices. Sometimes I saw the reapers move about quickly in the shadows.

After Zidane explained whatever necessary for them to not _try_ killing us, he said, "I need you to take care of my little brother here." He gripped Ryan on the shoulder. "He needs a place to stay since vampires found our safe house."

"It's hard enough as it is to keep those we have here safe," the same voice said, coming from an older man who could pass off as a lumberjack way back when. His beard was red, and he even wore plaid. I assumed he was Nate, though his mind would've confirmed it.

"If I can make a proposal," Ayden mentioned. "My comrade and I also need a place to stay, being exiled and all. We'll provide a defense for you if you take the kid." I noticed briefly that Ryan and Ayden's relationship was like Ryan and Hash's, though a little more on the softer side.

Nate, scratched his beard. The other hundreds of humans behind him stood anxiously, large guns in hand, some even from Vare Hunters. Finally, Nate said, "That's not a bad offer." He was definitely more easygoing than Saul was.

Almost immediately I felt Ryan's arms around me. Hugging me like a child. "What?" I asked, my head finally calming down.

"You and Zidane are leaving now right? A hug for luck. I hope you find Hash soon," Ryan said smiling. Turning to Zidane, who came beside me, "And maybe Xavier too?"

Zidane nodded. "We'll do our best." He rubbed Ryan's head like an older brother.

Ryan smiled, turning to join Ayden and Raelki. They all waved at us before disappearing into a large, worn down hotel building.

I turned back the way we came and took off as fast as I could, leaving Zidane behind. My seal slowly started to pulse.


	33. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32 - Meet Me Halfway ****半路遇見我**

I could've kept running. Forever and ever since I never got tired. But I didn't. I slowed down. The murky gray forest was just as dead as it had been for the last few days. I walked a normal, more _human_, pace. My seal pulsed slowly, I knew Zidane would find me soon. He'd always be able to find me now.

The feeling I got while running made me feel as if I were flying, and it made me forget, even if only for a second, about Zidane. And I felt free. But surprisingly the freedom was only comfortable until I remembered him, then he was all I could think about, all I wanted to think about. I was in raptures about him, and I knew that my resistance was slowly slipping from my grasp.

My feet stepped off a small ledge from the forest onto the soft sandy beach. There were only a few beaches that looked like this one around the world. The sand was coal black, but softer than normal. The smell of the ocean here was cool, clear, hardly any salt at all. I remembered the first time I had ever come across such a place.

When I was running away from my normal life as a vampire. Scared as the seal on my hand burned hotter than a thousand suns and glowed an evil dark red and black. I was still a child then, I could barely recall anything from that time, but I remember that day I was chosen by something else that wasn't supposed to exist, like me.

Werewolves talk about what they were chosen by. Wolves, bears, whatever. But they're nothing compared to what chose me. I was glad, though, that something wanted me way back when. I think I would've returned to the vampires who hated me so much, to let them kill me like they wanted.

Small waves lapped across my feet, getting deeper until I stopped when it was at my knees. I wondered if it was still alive, I hadn't seen it since I tried living a normal life, then running to live isolated in the Himalayas. Hope that the pollution wasn't as bad in the ocean as I thought.

The pulse stopped. "Koliko."

Slowly, I turned my head to see Zidane some twenty yards behind me. He didn't seem out of breath, but I knew he would be tired as soon as he stopped relying on his powers. I just looked at him solemnly, pointing out toward the ocean.

"Can you see?" I whispered, looking out over the endless blackish-blue waters. There were even darker gray clouds overhead, I smelled the rain that was about to come.

I felt him suddenly behind me, wrapping his arms around my stomach and leaning forehead on my shoulder. "I see you." His voice made the flutter start inside me. I could've swore he could feel it being so close. His breath stirred my hair and I closed my eyes.

"I love you," he whispered very softly, as if the words would scare me away.

My eyes snapped open and I stared out over the ocean. Time seemed to come to a stop, before the sleet of rain started to pour towards us. Lightning and thunder crashed. The water rose almost to my waist. Those words…I heard before.

"Is that what this feeling is?" I asked just as quietly. "What I feel from you?"

"Not just me." I felt his lips brush against my neck. Without thinking I tilted my head back, rain kissing my face as softly as his lips at the hollow of my neck. My resistance was slipping. Zidane turned me around to face him, I lifted my eyes to meet his hesitantly. The gold in his eyes was as loving as his words sounded. "I love you, more than anything. But it's as far as I can go," he spoke gently, his hair clung to his face. His eyes were liquid and faded into dark brown, the color I had first seen them as. Our faces, our lips, so close. "You have to meet me halfway."

I stared at him, words caught in my throat. Turning slowly, I walked deeper into the water until it was just above my waist, feeling Zidane's eyes on me. I held out my left hand, spreading my fingers. Water started to swirl a distance away, and I smiled. My mark started to glow a sapphire blue around the edges of the black writing.

Suddenly, the water exploded high enough that it could've touched space. It fell back heavier than the rain, leaving a great black serpent in its wake. Opening it's sharp toothed mouth, it let a roar echo through the air, rumbling through the water. There was a long fin that descended from the crest of it's head down into the water, the long edge of it spiked like hair. Four visible tendrils of various lengths hung from its body, some had furry-like tuffs at the ends. Small dark dots ran in two parallel lines down it's back.

It stared toward the beach, examining it before slithering through the water towards us. The large scales that lined down it's sides glowed an iridescent sapphire blue. It stopped in front of me, lowering its head, which was huge to say the least, to look at me with it's glossy black eyes. The tips of it's long whiskers touched my cheek, images of me as a child flashed in my head.

"Hey," I crooned, setting my outstretched hand on the tip of it's nose. I turned looking back at Zidane. He smiled. "This" --gesturing to the serpent-- "is Leviathan." It lifted it's enormous head away from me, stretching over to look at Zidane. "Leviathan, this is Zidane," I introduced. It let our a low rumble, sliding it's forked tongue out and licking Zidane's cheek.

"Leviathan, huh? Another mythological creature I'm guessing," Zidane questioned.

I nodded. Leviathan moved back to me, nuzzling it's nose against me. I couldn't even wrap my arms around it. "It's the reason water is my most favorite of the four elements. It chose me when I was younger." I patted it's nose. "It can only be summoned at black beaches like this." A whisker touched my cheek again, the image of being underwater filled my mind. "Would you come with me?" I asked him slowly.

"Anywhere," Zidane replied, coming towards us.

Leviathan's eyes started to glow from black to a deep blue, suddenly it started to shrink until it was the about size and length of an anaconda. Pairs of fins were now visible, the webbing between the long bones was hinted black-blue.

I took Zidane's hand, smiling softly, our eyes held as I grabbed a hold of a tendril and we plunged into the water. Leviathan pulled us through the water easily, sliding through like butter. The dark blue outlined our bodies, allowing us to breathe, but the water was so dark we couldn't see, even me who was supposed to be good in the dark. Water glided over us in strong currents, Leviathan drug us with extreme speed through the water.

Not even ten minutes later, we hit the surface. But not in open air, our breathing echoed. Looking up, we saw what could be the closest thing to looking like the night sky. Sparkles of different colors shined on the cave ceiling. The sound of water crashing drew our attention to a shelf of land. A waterfall poured into a cool and clear freshwater lake that seemed to have a luminosity at the bottom that made the water bright so it lit some of the cavern. Untainted by pollution, though small holes let the air circulate.

Leviathan moved us toward the shore. After pulling ourselves up, it then disappeared under the shelf before reappearing behind us in the lake. It looked so dangerously beautiful in the water. The sleek scaled body shined as it swam about in the water.

"Ryan would die to see this," Zidane commented, nodding his head toward the serpent.

"It was only a story. No one thought it was real. Just the sailors who died because it ate their ships," I stated, and Leviathan let out a call that sounded like some evil laugh. "Which isn't really saying much. Ships are like whales, compared to Leviathan's real size."

"And what's that exactly?"

"I'm not sure. I never seen the end when Leviathan's it's full size. But if I were to guess, about 300 miles long." I felt…awkward, considering we were making small talk. There really was no feeling in this conversation, but I knew it was just because our minds were on other things.

Before Zidane could respond, I took his hand and pulled him toward the lake. The moss covered ground was as green and soft as grass. We stopped just at the edge. I glanced at Zidane, only to see he was looking back. I felt the flutter. Moving closer I put both my hands on his chest. Looking up at him and giving a small smile before pushing him backward into the water.

I laughed as he appeared above the water. Truly laughed. The feeling felt strange…but ok. He splashed back, laughing too before I jumped in next to him. Staying under the water for a short about of time. To hell with resistance.

When I resurfaced right in front of Zidane, I put both hands on each side of his face. His face became serious. An unknown electric feeling zapped through me. I could feel my body shaking. I think I was actually nervous, as I touched my forehead to his.

"What are you doing?" he whispered, moving his hands to grip my sides.

"Meeting you halfway." I pulled his head down to mine, pressing my lips against his own. Zidane responded, quickly wrapping his arms around my and pulling me tighter against him. His lips were warm against my own, tasting like nothing I had ever experienced. And so, I kissed him.

"I love you, too," I whispered, for the first time in my life.


	34. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33 - Shiver ****顫抖**

You may think it was a bit sudden. Hell, I thought it was a bit sudden. But I couldn't deny that the feeling wasn't just the Guard. Maybe Raelki was right, that I needed to know someone loved me before I could love them myself. To recognize what I had been denying for so long. I really, truly, was in love with Zidane. I felt like I had been in love with him all my life.

"When did you know?"

"Since the first time I saw you."

"That's a lie."

"Believe what you want, but it's true either way." Zidane took my hand, kissing the fingertips then my seal softly. A sweet exhilarating sensation shot through me.

We lay there on the velvet mossy floor. Since I (like an idiot) jumped out of the lake and onto the shore right after the words that I found myself resisting to say just spilled out after I kissed him. So here we were, lying on the cavern shelf, my head on his stomach and his heart's melody filling the air, even if it was only me who heard it.

"Is this was the night sky looks like?'

The lake shined on the ceiling, making small crystals sparkly like stars. "Close enough," I said. "Here you can actually touch the stars."

_I love you_, Zidane's voice whispered in my head.

"You know I can hear you now right?" I stated irritated.

"Yeah, I know."

I sat up and glared at him. "You know? How long have you known? How did you know?"

He smirked. "Since you bit me back at the bunker. At first I thought I was going crazy and such. Because I kept hearing this voice saying stuff about drinking my blood and such. But it was you're voice in my head." He watched me curiously. "I thought that, even though I'm sure you're voice wasn't intentional in my head, that I could do the same to you."

My eyes widened in shock. "You knew I heard you when I was in the shower?" He laughed and I hit him on the chest. "You set me up," I said angrily, moving away and laying back down with my back to him.

I felt him move behind me, sliding one arm under to hold my stomach and draping the other over, nestling close to me. Breathing in my ear and making the hair stand up. "I didn't know it worked until you suddenly got quiet and froze whenever I was around you. But I didn't know how else to tell you without you denying it instantly. So I had to try putting the thought in your head so you would ferment over it."

"Well then…" I grabbed his free arm and held it to my chest, kissing his knuckles. "It worked."

Zidane started moving away, I held tightly to his hand before letting go. Turning to watch him as he rummaged through his trench coat pockets that lie on the floor next my own. He scratched his head, his black hair still wet and dripped onto his white shirt that was clinging to his body. "Oh," I heard him say before he turned and came back to me, pulling me to sit up.

"What?" I asked. Hesitantly, he reach behind his neck, undoing a chain necklace that I hadn't noticed before. On it was a silver key that gleamed from the lake water. He reached behind my neck and refastened it, the key actually felt heavy as it hung there.

"I found that in the sand back at the beach. Something told me to give it to you," he said softly, brushing over the key with his thumb. Shrugging faintly as he smiled quietly before looking at me. "The key to my heart."

I leaned forward, setting my cold lips against his own warm ones. "I'll take care of it," I promised.

Zidane set both his hands along my jaw, bringing me back to him. Gently at first, then he started pressing his lips to mine more urgently. I returned it, taking the feeling and breathing it like air. It seemed neither of us could get enough. Things seemed to move fast and slow at the same time. Before I realized, I was reaching to take his wet shirt off. Then I felt his lips grazing my bare stomach, hands moving to slip off my own clothing. My icy skin started to feel warm and soft wherever he touched me. I felt _human_. A shiver ran up my spine.

I felt a sudden hurt and cried out pressing my hand against my bare chest, sitting back up, causing Zidane to move from on top of me.

"What's wrong," Zidane asked concernedly, setting his hand gently on my back.

I coughed. Under my hand I started to feel a very, very faint pump, it beat in time with my seal which was directly over it. I looked at Zidane in surprise before smiling. "My heart."

He smiled too, kissing me gently on the forehead, the nose, my lips, then ever so softly over my faint quiet heart. I cradled his head in my arms for only a moment before lying back down, pulling him toward me.

***

I lay on my side, listening to our synchronized breathing. Zidane's heart and blood pulsing their delicious melody, but surprisingly I didn't have to fight for control of myself this time. My own heart beat only once about every ten minutes. I didn't hear a song, but Zidane said he could, a lullaby.

"Will you still love me in the morning?"

He nuzzled my damp hair, kissing my neck. His hot skin pressed at fit perfectly to my own cool-warm skin. "I have loved you all my life. Tomorrow even more. And longer that eternity can stand."

Glancing down at our entwined fingers of my left hand with his right, I noticed, ever so slightly an especially light marking. One single Chinese character that contradicted mine, it read: "Light". I closed my eyes, sighing quietly, drawing his hand closer to my chest. And for the first time in my life, I fell asleep.

***

We stood under the pounding waterfall. The water clear and tasted sweet as it slipped between our mouths. Nothing else in the world mattered, but we knew it wouldn't last much longer. We had been down here for what could've been a few days. My heartbeat intervals were getting longer, soon they would stop and the softness and warmth of my skin would disappear. We didn't know why, but it was vanishing, so we savored what we could. I figured it was because I was still a vampire, I wasn't meant to be human for long.

Zidane held my hand as we swam back to the shelf. Our clothes in a heap on the ground.

Leviathan's head popped out of the dark water side of the shelf. It let out a low clicking sound. I slipped my foot into my shoe as I reached up, rubbing the serpent's smooth scaly head. It's whiskers touched me, images of the black beach flashed in my mind.

I stood, holding my hand out to Zidane. "Time to go," I said sadly.

He nodded faintly, taking my hand confidently. The mark I had saw wasn't visible anymore, but I knew it was there, to counteract mine.

"Hey," Zidane said before I grabbed onto one of Leviathan's tendrils. I turned toward him. He kissed me gently. "I love you."

I smiled quietly. "Ready to save the world, my Angel?"


	35. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34 - The Old World ****舊世界**

The black beach seemed to had lightened up. Even the clouds. Everything seemed so much brighter than before. Or it was just me, seeing things differently. Something, some_one_, woke me up. But if this was a dream, then I never wanted to wake.

Leviathan's deep blue eyes faded back to black as it grew back to the enormous size it was before. It nuzzled it's nose against me gently with a low rumble, licking me with a forked tongue before moving to Zidane. A whisker touched his wet cheek and his eyes seemed to go still for a moment then coming back to reality as Leviathan drew back. It swam back to where it had risen, looking back at us and emitting one last roar to echo through the air before plunging into the water. Zidane's hand tightened around mine.

"You know what I think?" I asked, tilting my head, trying my best to sound bored even though I felt somewhat terrified.

"No, not really. I've tried reading your mind. And as far as I'm concerned we can only put thoughts into each other's head so we can talk. Otherwise, mind reading and mind control are out," he stated like a bored genius. He sounded disappointed. "I'm disappointed." Well there you have it.

I looked at him critically smacking the back of his head. "Shut up, you know what I mean." I smiled. "Well, if you could read my mind, wouldn't you want to know what I was thinking?"

"I want to know what you're thinking all the time," he answered. "But yes, what are you thinking?"

"That you'll regret coming with me," I whispered, letting go of his hand.

He turned to me sharply. "What do you mean by that?"

"Because, you had sex with a thing that happens to be a vampire that's over 600 years old," I stated, turning to him. "And to add to that, a thing that's messed up." I tugged on my ears and poked him with my tail. "Tell me you don't regret that." I could hear my own fear in my voice.

Zidane grabbed my hands, removing them from my ears before I hurt myself, and held them firmly. I looked down, avoiding his gaze. "I don't regret it," he said sharply, shaking me to look back up at him. "You are not a 'thing', you're a person. A magnificent person who's just the odd one out, and that's something I love about you. I don't care that you're a vampire or how old you are. Age doesn't matter when you're in love. And if you love me like you say you do, then you'll allow me to accept your flaws and trust me."

I shut my eyes, shaking my head and looking over the black colored ocean. "How can you be so perfect?"

Zidane let out a dry laugh. "I'm not perfect. You've just come to accept me as me with all my flaws. So much so that you can't see them anymore. And that makes me feel perfect. The same goes for you to me. You're perfect, you just need to accept the fact that I think that." I moved my hands, his grip letting go more easily than I expected, and wrapping my arms around his neck. Burying by face against his chest as he snaked his own arms around me. "Besides," he whispered into my hair, his breath tickling my ears, "I think I'd regret if I didn't go with you into that cave."

A shiver went up my spine when his heartbeat finally passed my resistance. My fangs extended so suddenly I couldn't stop them. I let go, stumbling back onto the sand, covering my mouth and shutting my bloodying eyes while I tried to distance myself. But I couldn't move any longer. I was froze in place and I heard Zidane as he kneeled in front of me.

"No! Stay back," I tried to scream, but it came out as only a murmur. Zidane took my hands once again, prying them away from my mouth. My fangs dug deep into the outside of my bottom lip. I shut my eyes tighter.

"Koliko, look at me," he ordered. Every resistance I had at that moment evaporated, and I looked at him. I could see myself reflected in his lovely dark brown ones, the appearance of my slit pupils and my red glowing eyes. He dropped my hands into my lap softly, moving his own to caress my face, whipping the trickling black blood from my chin. It surprised me when I saw him stick this thumb in his mouth and lick it off. My eyes widened in horror.

"It's acidic," I said in terror, scrambling to wipe it off his tongue. He swallowed and opened his mouth. Nothing was eaten through. I let out a confused breath as he set his hand back against the side of my face.

"Have more confidence in yourself, love," he said. "Nothing about you can hurt me anymore, and nothing about me can hurt you. You can thank your Guard for that."

"Huh…" I reached for his face. Searching it intensely. _I want it_, my instinct said. _You want it. Take it,_ the voice beckoned. Suddenly, I felt dramatically empty inside as images and imaginings of Zidane's blood flooded my mind. My seal seemed to keep burning hotter every time I started to crave him. This time is was nearly unbearable. A hunger filled me for his blood that made me feel as if I would die.

Zidane reached around my head, pulling me towards him and pressing my fangs against his neck. "Take it," he said, repeating the voice. So I did. Piercing the same place my fangs had entered before. The blood leaked only a little at first, but when my saliva touched the wounds, it started to flood my mouth. Zidane stifled a moan as he pressed my head harder against his neck. All my senses were let loose, and I enjoyed as much of it as I could before I forced myself to inject my own serum to help reproduce his blood and pull away. Licking the two punctures so they'd heal.

"We should get going," I said, wiping my mouth as pushed myself away from him. As I started to stand, I felt him take my hand and pull me back, gently settling his lips against mine. A small sigh escaped before I could stop it and I felt Zidane's lips turn up in a smile as he kissed me again.

"Let's go." He stood, helping me up and draping his arm across my shoulders.

We walked for a while, not saying anything. The crashing waves on the beach slowly started to disappear. The air in the forest was stale and smelled of radiation. I wondered how it would all go back to normal. The world seemed too screwed up to be able to fix.

"So I read in some _really_ old text books that there were these things called atomic bombs. Everyone made enough to blow up the world _200_ times over. What I can't figure out is: with all that power, why aren't we all dead?" Apparently he could smell the radiation too.

"Well, the World War III wasn't just caused by the Russians themselves. North Korea moved to take over the southern part, Iraq bombed Africa, and Afghanistan discovered how to make the bomb and let loose on the U.S. But only a few of the bombs ever went off."

"Why only a few?"

"Because," I started. "Humans are like diamonds to the supernaturals. Without them no one will live. Even the animals." I paused, tilting my head, thinking. "Okay, well, vampires would live, but they'd all lose their minds because of lack of blood. Werewolves would live too, but basically as cannibals, eating vampires isn't good for their health I don't think. Though, maybe they could live off Vares. Vares would be the first to go extinct from the immortal species. They're already suffering as it is." I skipped ahead, turning to walk backwards in front of him.

"So what do we do to keep this disaster from happening?" I asked. "Simple, destroy all the bombs before they're ever launched. Kill all who know exactly how to manufacture them and get rid of the blueprints." I scratched my head. "I think that's the only thing the three supernaturals ever did together. After that they went back into the Silent War, turned that into the Triads War, divided the continents up among themselves and now they're basically at a standstill. Well, except with you here I'm sure they're starting to get a bit antsy."

Zidane stared at me for the longest time I felt like I was under interrogation. "What?" I asked, frustrated.

"So you're half English right?"

I stopped, staring back at him critically. "Yeah, on my father's side. Half Chinese on my mother's. What does this have to do with anything? Did you hear what I just told you? 'Cause I'm not repeating it again."

"Oh, no, I got all that. I was just thinking about the Old World maps and how they looked. Made me wonder about ethnicities. I don't even know what I am."

"Half English and half American, if my terms are right. I believe the Old World declared American an ethnicity. Otherwise I'd say you're full English, but you're genes beg to differ."

"My genes? What do you mean?" He started walking, and I moved along keep in step.

"I can smell your DNA. Every ethnicity has a certain smell and taste to it. Even though America was a descendent of Europe their genes grew different after generations. So I declare you half English and half American."

He smiled, his own human fangs showing. "Well, ok then."

In the distance I heard faint cracking noises. Suddenly screams filled my ears. The smell of burning flesh and smoke started to seep through the air. The gray sky started to tinge oranges and reds from the reflection of fire. I fell to my knees trying to block out everything, hold my hands to my ears. Flashbacks of villagers in my mind; me covered in blood centuries ago.

"Koliko, what's wrong? What's happening?" Zidane asked urgently. The cracking blasts started to echo and fill the air.

"We're in Vare territory," I gasped, my seal burning. The smell of blood from two different kinds escaped through the air into my nostrils. I looked up to Zidane, his dark eyes comforting, chasing away the flashes of my past. "With the wolves weak, and Vares barely able to make their keep. Vampires are making their move." I let out a weak breath of terror. "And they will stop at nothing to find you."


	36. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35 - Remember Me? ****記住我？**

_**??? - Third Person**_

There was a knock on the metal door.

"Yes?" he asked quietly, taking a drink from his wine glass, feeling the cold stale, yet delicious, blood slide down his throat, soothing the itch around his body. It was better when it was warm. He hadn't drank from a live human for a long time.

He looked through the large bay window. Out across the gray wasteland. In the distance he could see the orange and red reflected on the horizon. He smiled sadistically. Soon, very soon.

The door swung open. "Sir, we've recovered the scent of the Angel," a soldier told him.

"Good, keep track of him. After we're done extinguishing those damned hunters, collect him for me, will you?" He took another sip from his glass. Noticing that the vampire was still there, he asked with annoyance, "Anything else?" He set down the glass on a large black cherry oak desk.

At first the young vampire seemed hesitant, but even so, death and a killer still lurked inside him. "Well, sir," he stammered. "He's not alone. The Angel is with the legend. The Prodigy, Koliko Rainorel."

That was a name he hadn't heard in a _very_ long time. "Well then…" He lifting the glass back up. "This could be something of a problem." Instead of delicately sipping, he downed the rest of the blood. Crushing the glass in his hand. "Ready a large supply of the Lost Phage."

"Yes, sir." The vampire saluted before disappearing in the darkness.

The glass fell to the floor with little _clink_ sounds.Pulling open the desk drawer and withdrawing a large modified Vare Hunter's gun. Loading it with bullets the width of a wine cork and length of a pen. He had been ready for this day since forever, it wasn't one he was going to miss.

A man stepped into the dim light that filtered through the room from the shadows. He smiled, showing bared fangs. His flaming red hair spiked every which way. "I remember that girl as if it was yesterday." He touched his face, marks more terrible than third degree burns scarred the whole right side. His eyes red, the right one slashed through.

The man let out a dark laugh, cocking the gun. "Why don't we pay our little prodigies a visit?"


	37. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36 - Broken ****打破**

_**Koliko - First Person**_

"Run! Don't stop! Don't look back!" I screamed, following Zidane as we ran away from the burning smells of flesh and forest. Even going supernaturally fast, it didn't seem quick enough. Racing to escape others that were somewhat like me never seemed so taxing. I would've teleported away, but as far as I knew Zidane's body couldn't handle the cold nothingness, even if the fire he produced inside to keep him warm was there.

"Why are we running? We should stay and fight," Zidane said, slowing down. I reached out, pushing against his back to keep him moving. He looked back at me, flecks of gold sparked in his dark eyes. But I couldn't hold the gaze, I looked down.

"Even if we have the advantage with powers and all, there's always still a chance they could get a hold of you. I'm not going to let that happen," I argued, taking his hand and pulling him along. I could hear branches snapping, trees tumbling. "I can't lose you."

He pulled back, slowing me down. "You won't lose me," he said gently. "But if we run, then what's the point of saving the world? If we get rid of this problem now everything will get a lot easier."

I looked back at him with solemn eyes. "Please. Please, just run this once. For me," I begged, stopping, taking both his warm hands in my own and kissing them.

Zidane's eyes caressed me softly. I could've swore my cold body warmed just my looking at them. "Ok," he said, setting a hand on the side of my face. "For you, I'll do anything." I smiled and we started running.

When I thought we would make it far enough away the most horrible of anything happened. Time slowed so much I thought it couldn't be real. Zidane started coughing, blood erupting and spilling out of his mouth. Suddenly shots of light were fired into the air, bursting and releasing a murky white shield and spread over us like a bubble. I felt my energy sucked from me like a black hole. Zidane fell against me and we sank to the ground. My senses became fuzzier than the stake in my heart, and my powers disappeared. I was so normal, so _human_.

Zidane's attack this time was worse than what the others had been. I held him close. Running shaky fingers through his soft black hair as he coughed up so much more blood than before. I couldn't focus enough to bite him, to make him heal. Dread filled me. My eyes confused between red and normal colors.

Bright truck lights exploded all around us and made it seem like day. A silhouette of a tall man cast what there could be of a shadow over us.

I didn't look up, I knew who it was. Anger built up within me, and I held Zidane as close as I could without hurting him. His attack was over, but I could tell he was much weaker. Not able to awaken his Angel form. I should my head, fighting unconsciousness.

"Koliko, it's so nice to see you again," the silhouette said with a fake sincere friendly voice. Slight curly black hair fell in front of their red black eyes, those eyes I never wanted to see again. A pure red diamond in the shape of a heart was incrusted onto a golden locket he wore around his neck.

I kept my eyes on Zidane. His eyes were closed, his breathing slower than normal. I sighed, still stroking his head, and asked hoarsely, "What happens now?" With my senses dulled, my powers cancelled and the other part sealed, I couldn't do much against the vampire army surrounding us. My seal burned hotter than ever.

"Now, Koliko, why can't you just give your Lord a proper greeting?" he asked, sounding offended. "After all, we haven't seen each other in well over 600 years."

A growl erupted from deep within my chest. "You aren't my 'Lord', Aldaris." Hissing at his name. "Why don't you tell all your servants here what you really are to me?"

From the corner of my eyes I saw the other vampires look to one another then back to us. I saw Aldaris's eyes narrow.

There was a moment of pure silence, excluding the sound of the truck motors. "Of course you won't," I laughed dryly, "No great Lord of Vampires like you would admit that I am your disowned, failed prodigy _daughter_."

Whispers burst around the circle. Barely audible to me now. There was a deeper more commanding growl that came from Aldaris. Before I could react I was ripped away from Zidane. Being towed away from him by four other vampires.

"Zidane!" I screeched, clawing imperceptibly at the vampires who had a hold of me. His form lay on the ground, I could barely see his body move from breathing. "Zidane!"

Aldaris walked casually over to him. Kneeling, turning Zidane's head to get a better look, then he smiled evilly, knowingly.

I struggled harder. I barely had any strength left. But something within me seemed to snap, I winced, then burn hot before burning cold.

"Don't touch him," I growled deeply, lowing my head so my hair fell in front of my eyes. The pain in my hand that had been there since I heard Aldaris's voice suddenly disappeared.

My seal was broken.

Everything I lost came back to me in a rush. My senses were heightened more, my vision turned a bloody red, which I knew then that my eyes must be that color too. My fangs extended longer and sharper than I knew they could.

I felt an irritable pain on my back. There was a tear, and I screamed in pain as two black wings grew from my shoulder blades. They were slim, smooth, like a bats, then the right own crunched and I grimaced from the pain as feathers erupted from the skin, turning it into what looked like an angel's wing. Which I assumed was because of Zidane's blood inside me.

Without one movement, just barely a thought, the vampire's that were holding me, heads exploded. Their blood splattering everywhere. Aldaris backed up to the line of trucks.

I teleported quickly beside Zidane. Shielding us beneath my newly found wings. His heart was beating extremely slow. I tilted Zidane's head back, seeing the light puncture holes where I had bit him before. Carefully, I lowered my head. Positioning my fangs directly over the two scars. I bit down cautiously, since my fangs were longer. I knew I had to be careful, being like this. I had to concentrate so much harder on not draining him.

I started injecting my venom, but only a little got in when I felt one, then two, three, four, sharp pains hitting my back. I stopped, lifting my head.

At first I thought it was nothing serious. But then my body seemed to stiffen on its own, my wings drooped, I felt my powers disappear, and so did my senses, again.

"What…" I started, suddenly feeling very weak, but was interrupted.

"Amazing isn't it?" Aldaris said. I looked up weakly to see him holding what seemed like a large metallic silver gun. The barrel hole the size of a large marble. "I knew you'd break the seal your mother and that idiotic vampire put on you. Though I never though I'd _see_ you do it. But I figured if we met I'd have to be prepared. Do you like it?" He gestured to the gun. "The bullets are the next generation of this force field around us," he paused. "I call it the Lost Phage. Made from your mother's blood."

I stared at him in horror. How could he do such a thing?

"For you, I made these bullets special. I thought you'd be strong enough that the shield wouldn't have an effect. So why not paralyze your senses and powers by putting the serum directly into you?" He smiled maliciously. "And it worked."

Hooks sprang from a few of the truck. Two went though my left wing. One wrapped around the other. They pulled, spreading my wings until they couldn't extend anymore, threatening to break them off. Blood dripped to the ground, dying it black and making whatever was there sizzle and dissolve. I screamed in agony.

Without knowing how, I was suddenly chained down on my back to a large diesel flatbed. Vampire guards all around. The hooks tearing in my wings.

"Zidane!" I cried, trying to get out from under the steel chains. But every struggle sent shocks of pain through me.

From the corner of my eye I barely saw him through fuzzy eyes being carried to a large military truck, disappearing inside.

I felt something on the left side of my face. I tried to see what it was, but there was nothing. My vision twisted subtly between red and blue tints.

"Now, now. No crying Koliko." I heard Aldaris say.

Crying? You mean tears? I didn't think I was capable of such a thing.

I heard a very faint voice. Someone…saying my name.

_Zidane._

I felt another tear roll the same path as the first. "I will…kill you all," I whispered, before darkness took everything away.


	38. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37 - Remember Death ****記住死亡**

I heard nothing. Saw nothing. Smelled nothing. Tasted my own bitter blood in my mouth. Felt my body hanging high in the air, my new wings hooked and torn, refusing to heal. I ached. Everything seemed so surreal, I couldn't think straight. Falling in and out of consciousness for I didn't know how long. But I was alone, in an empty space, held up by chains in my wings, wrapped around my arms and legs. My back stung from the bullets I remembered hitting me. I searched my mind, trying to find any connection with Zidane, but there was none. I felt tears swell only in my left eye, my vision tinged blue, mixing with the red.

There a beeping noise then a burst of air as a metal door slid open. Light spilled into the room, my eyes took longer than normal to adjust. It didn't matter much, my vision was still a little fuzzy. Most of my senses were dulled to the point that they almost didn't exist. Silhouettes stepped up to me.

"How do you like your new room?" Aldaris asked. "I find it quite suiting to your nature." I tried to release a small growl but it only came out as a cough as blood dripped from my lips onto the cold metal floor, sizzling away and eating at it until there was a one inch deep hole left.

"When…I get out of here," I choked, "I _will…_kill you."

"Now, now. No need for violence." He took a few steps toward me, lifting my limp head, making my fuzzy red eyes focus on him. "I'd like to show you something," he said, gesturing to a container the size of a coffee can a vampire, wearing a doctor's coat. was holding behind him. Something inside of it was squirming. The vampire stepped forward, holding out the tube to Aldaris.

Inside the cylinder I saw something that possibly could depict the monsters human's called demons. The body was small and human-like, but not at all beautiful as demon's are, being angel's themselves. This one had a face that looked torn, burned, and sliced until it didn't even seem like it could be one. All the teeth long and sharp. It's arms and legs seemed much to long than they should have been, as if when it would walk it would be like a spider. The thing looked at me with glossy red eyes, attacking the glass.

"This one is still being worked with. The other's have actually turned out quite well, not perfect, but well," Aldaris mentioned, flicking the glass with his finger. The creature cringed back as far as it could go at the sight of him.

"What is it?" I asked hoarsely, coughing up a little more blood.

"Just was you would assume," Aldaris said. "A demon. Though not exactly what I want it to be." He handed for canister back to the scientist vampire, who left immediately, leaving just one silhouetted figure I couldn't make out. "You see, after you became what you are," he spat, "I discovered something in your mother's and my own genes that allowed you to grow and live. To be born as a True Vampire. But even with all the expertise of scientific and medical technology we have in today's world, it's almost impossible to isolate."

My eyes widened for only a second before they drooped. "You are trying to make more Trues."

He smiled, fangs showing. "Exactly. You have a quick mind for being drugged so much." Aldaris started walking in a slow circle around me as he continued. "I tried to find other vampires with the same type of gene, but found none. My scientist's assume that is because this gene takes on different forms, even though it allows for Trues to be born, it's completely random on what it looks like, thus impossible to find."

"Why not just use Nanami's and your own blood? It could work just the same to create more."

"Ah." He tapped a finger on his head, continuing his circle. "I have tried. But your mother's blood had no energy left in it when she died, so it couldn't support another child. So, it resulted in what you just saw. Imperfection in the growing process. The surrogates we use all reject the child before it's fully matured. False Demons, I call them."

"How many…" I breathed, feeling like I was being suffocated.

Aldaris smiled evilly. "Thousand. Hundreds of thousands. I've had over 600 years to accumulate so many. However, they haven't been much of a use to me since their bodies, which seem tough, are really so fragile. But," he pointed out, "now that the Angel is here, they should become all that I've expected of them."

"Zidane will die soon," I realized in horror. I hadn't injected him with enough serum to fully heal.

"I know, I need you to heal him," Aldaris stated bitterly. "We've taken as much blood from him as we could, but it'd be nice to have a little more."

_I'd rather die_, I heard a whisper, _than live to serve._ Zidane. His voice barely audible. I strained to keep the sweet sound in my head. A tear finally rolled down my face.

"Never," I whispered, but it wasn't my voice. I wanted so desperately to save him. To tell Aldaris to take me to him, but for that second I realized it was Zidane's way of saving the world. But I loved him so… An image of Zidane flashed in my head, smiling at me lovingly, not with black hair or dark eyes, but blonde and heavenly gold.

Aldaris reached out, grabbing my hair and yanking my head back. I gasped. "You know the False wish to please me was their Lord. Unlike some," he spat.

"You tried to kill me," I grimaced. "Why in hell would I want to please you?"

He let go and my head dropped. "It's a shame your mother died. I've regretted every second not being with her. It was an accident. I truly love her, I still do." His voice cracked as if he was going to cry. For once, he actually sounded like the father I barely remembered when I was younger, so much younger. "Which is why I call my primary weapon the Lost Phage. In remembrance of her. Your mother's powers came in quite handy. Don't you miss her?" he asked, slapping my face. "It's all _your_ fault she's dead."

"I know," I whispered, but I think only my lips moved with no sound.

"If you hadn't been born on a cursed year, you never would have become what you are. Nanami would still be alive. And all three of us would have stayed together forever," he yelled, hitting my face over and over again. I coughed harder each time, blood spitting onto the floor.

I hissed at the pain, my now broken seal beat slowly, burning cold instead of hot, but I knew it was just the pulse of my powers, instincts, voices, trying to shake off my mother's drugged up blood. Zidane wasn't coming to get me. He couldn't. Another tear rolled down my bleeding face, soothing the scars as it ran across them. Healing them.

"What 'cursed year'?" I asked when I regained my thought process.

"The year you were born, was cursed for all vampires. All the numbers of that year added together equaled thirteen. Superstitions that humans make aren't real, but this one was. After researching and researching for so many years I found in an old hidden library made by vampires past of a year when a True Vampire would be born and turn against its own kind. Even though many years will equal thirteen only one True Vampire has ever been born. _You_."

"You made me that way!" I contradicted. "Had you not tried to kill me it all would've have gone as you dreamed. But you can't stand the thought of your own prodigy being a failure. Cursed by thirteen to be seen as a sex icon. Perhaps it wasn't superstition, maybe it was something in Nanami or your genes that made me this way," I argued, gasping for air.

Aldaris glared at me, his face filled with disgust, backhanding me. "It was the cursed year, not me, nor your mother." He stepped back. "Many Trues have tried to be born between vampires who showed so much promise. And some did live, up to the age of two years old until they died from deterioration in their blood cells. None ever becoming what you did at six months of age."

"Haven't you ever considered," I huffed, "that only _one_ True Vampire could ever exist at a time? Myths and legends always only have one of something so powerful in them. Why not only one True?"

He seemed taken aback, but it didn't last long. "I'll take that into consideration." He turned walking back toward the door, before looking over his shoulder back at me. "Oh, yes," he remembered, glancing at the dark silhouette. "I brought you a friend."

I stared at the figure as it stepped further into the room. Aldaris disappeared as the door closed behind him. The man came up to me, grinning evilly. My eyes widened in horror. _Oh, God, no._ He stood tall. His hair red and spiked backwards. His eyes bloody red, the right one slashed through, and his face scarred.

"Long time no see, Koliko," he hissed, chuckling.

Images of me as a child flooded my mind. I was screaming. My body moved on it's own. My powers not under my control. Blood covered my body as I hurt myself by accident, yet on purpose. My young body not completely sure of whether to heal or not. Confused by who had control of it. The Four Reapers watching me helplessly, scythes drawn.

"No," I whispered, a tear sliding down my face. "Not you."

The man smiled wider. "Yes, me. We have a lot to catch up on, you and I. Call me Cavan."

Suddenly my eyes rolled back. My body tensed, before releasing, making the chains in my wings tug. But I couldn't remember any pain. All I remembered was that I couldn't be taken over again by the Puppet Master.

_Zidane… Save me…_


	39. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38 - Perfect ****完善 **

Something soft. Something light. Something warm. Something white. My eyes fluttered open. The sun filtered down, making everything brighter and more colorful. I sat up hesitantly. _Where am I?_

My body was perfect and normal. Nothing was missing. My wings spread out, lying comfortably on the soft green grass. I touched my vampiric one, the skin was smooth and leathery, not punctured by hooks. Looking at my angelic one, the feathers were even, not ruffled by chains. The sun glistened of the black vanes, making my feathers shimmer with a rainbow of colors I would never have seen. I ran my fingers gently over their softness.

Slowly I took in my surroundings. I was sitting in a small lush green meadow. Surrounded by a grove of many different trees, most I didn't recognize, only the many weeping willows. Farther down, a lake lapped against the meadow shore, a waterfall roared with cool, clear water. Above the fall were more trees. All of this circled by gray and blue snow covered mountains. What was beyond them didn't seem to matter. The sky was clear and blue, nothing polluted. _Where am I?_ I repeated.

"You are here," I heard a voice say. I froze, looking up cautiously. Zidane stood over me, a warm smile on his face. My Zidane, yet not. His hair was golden, as well as his eyes. Large magnificent white angelic wings spread behind him, such a contrast to my own.

Quickly, I turned, scooting a few feet away from him. "It's you," I breathed.

He smirked. "Yes." Carefully, he came forward, kneeling down hesitantly as if I might run away. "I came to save you, just as you asked, my love."

"Is this real?" I asked quietly, trying to catch my breath.

Zidane tilted his head. "Yes and no. This" --gesturing to the beautiful world surrounding us-- "is our world. Well, in a way. You created it. Do you remember?"

I shook my head. "I never made anything. Never used my imagination. I hardly remember anything of my past. I only know the present."

"Well, you had a very traumatic past. I'm sorry. I wish I could've prevented it." He sat down more comfortably, taking my left hand, kissing the seal. "You've broken it." Zidane smiled softly before kissing it again.

There was something he wasn't telling me, but I was reluctant to pull my hand away from his grasp. I didn't want to know anything if I could just stay here. Everything seemed so real. So peaceful. I never wanted it to end. I fell into raptures of staying here forever with him, not caring about anything else. "Just stay here with me, ok?"

Zidane looked from the lake to me. "Ok." He smiled, holding my hand tighter.

"Hey," I said, getting his attention from wherever his mind had taken him.

"Yes, love?" The look in his golden eyes seemed somehow different. Like they knew so much more.

I leaned forward, kissing his lips softly. "Teach me how to fly."

"As you wish." He stood, pulling me up to him. "Come." Zidane started running, me beside him, our wings spread. Just before we reached the water's edge, he flapped his wings once, lurching up into the air. I followed suit, pounding both wings down, catching a large amount of air before finding myself rising into the sky. Zidane caught me in his arms as if I were a newborn bird, which I kind of was. He smiled. "You'll get the hang of it. Flying isn't exactly something I can teach."

"Why do I have wings if telekinesis could make me fly just the same?"

He smirked. "Concentrating on making your powers move _you_ through the air is a lot harder than you think. Besides, wings are meant to help you fly, not your body by itself. Once you learn it's like instinct, you don't have to think about it. And you could use your powers more productively." He poked my forehead with his finger, letting go. Startled, I fell.

The ground was coming very quickly to greet my. My wings suddenly spread on their own, catching wind and surging back up. I breathed in wonder. Zidane took my hand and we streamed upward. I noticed as we got higher and higher that past the mountains was nothing. Just more blue sky, as if this place were an island in the clouds.

Zidane pulled back, making us stop. When I gazed back at him, his face seemed to take on a seriousness I'd never seen on him before. Gently he took my face into his hands and kissed me. Softly at first, but as we started to freefall toward the lake it became more urgent. A hand ran up my back, pulling me closer and tighter against him. Suddenly we hit the water.

I was the first to come up, realizing my normal clothes had disappeared and changed into a simple silk dress that clung to my body. The sun was gone and only the moon's brilliant silver rays lit up the world. Zidane burst up just then, lifting me out of the shining water. A hand wiping water from my face, the other holding me up. His chest bare, only wearing black baggy pants in the water. I noticed his seal was glowing white, while mine glowed black. So many things ran through my mind, but I couldn't make sense of any of it, because nothing was my own thoughts. All I wanted was to kiss him now and forever. And I did. All the things in my mind disappeared and he kissed me back. Softly like before, then it turned as if he could get enough.

"Koliko," he murmured. I held him tighter. For a dream, he was so real. My hands traced down his back, touching his extremely soft wings that didn't even seem to get wet. Then I felt a jolt of electricity as his own hand trailed down mine. All I wanted was him. All I needed was him. The feelings he gave me I never wanted to give up. Never in forever would I ever give Zidane up.

I felt myself being pushed down. We were back in the middle of the meadow. How did we get here? But the question left when Zidane kissed my stomach over and over again before resting his head on it, watching me tenderly. One hand held mine while the other rested on my shoulder, his fingers outlining my face.

"Tell me about this place," I said, moving my arm through the thick soft grass.

"There's nothing much to tell. You created this place when you were much younger. A place made by your imagination. Everything here, reacts to how you feel, what you think. If you want it to rain, it rains. If you want it to be daylight, the sun comes up. If you want time to stop, it stops."

"How to you know all this?" I asked, sitting up, holding his head in my lap. He nestled closer to my stomach, hiding his face. I ran my hand through his blonde hair.

"Because I helped you create it. This place is our world," Zidane said. "A place for just us. For you to be at peace. No worries about anything."

"But this is just a dream," I whispered. "It won't last that long."

He looked up at me then. "Yes, a dream, but more real than you think. This is like a piece of Eden. A perfect world, just as we want the outside to be. Even if it's only in our heads, this place is real."

"Even if its imaginary, it still exists because we think about it," I said, thinking aloud. "It's real, even if its imaginary."

Zidane smiled. "Exactly." I smiled down at him, running my finger along his jaw line.

"Why did you lie to me about your father?" he asked suddenly, but even as a question it seemed like he already knew long before that that I was lying.

I looked away. "He is dead, my real father died the day he killed my mother and tried to kill me."

"You could have told me."

"I didn't want you to know."

"I already knew. I just wanted you to know that you could tell me the truth about anything. I don't want you to have to lie anymore." He sat up, taking my hand and kissing the seal.

"How did you already know?"

He looked back at me hesitantly before standing up, looking at the midnight sky. "I need you to know something, Koliko. You need to know who I really am."

"Who you really are?" I asked, feeling slightly dazed.

He knelt back down taking my hand back into his. "Koliko…" He paused, kissing the palm of my hand. "You were right about what you said before. There was one True Vampire before you. That vampire…was me."


	40. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39 - Sealed ****密封**

_Father had just went out. Might I say as a child, I was upset. He was always away on business. I hardly ever got to see him. When I did it made the time seem like nothing, but when he left it made it that much harder each time. Papa had promised he'd come back and we'd play again, so I wasn't going to throw a fit._

_Before I left to go upstairs to my there was a knock at the door. My mother walked over to answer it. "Come in," she welcomed._

_A man I had never seen before entered the foyer. He was wearing a black cloak that hid his face from me. But even so, he turned to me and hesitated. His eyes shined a beautiful liquid gold as they analyzed me. Slowly, he slid the hood from his head. His hair grew just past his eyes, so blonde it looked white in some areas. He took a few steps toward me, kneeling down to be eye level._

"_What's your name child?" he asked with a silky angelic voice._

"_Koliko," I answered, mesmerized._

"_Koliko… What a lovely name," he said, smiling. I noticed his fangs were extending, he winced as he tried to restrain them, and flecks of red sparked within the gold of his eyes. I smiled back. I wasn't scared of him. To show I wasn't, I reached forward, putting both my small hands on his face. Something about him smelled good, delicious, even. My vision faintly tinged red._

"_And yours, sir?" I asked, petting his hair._

_He smiled. "Zidane. My name is Zidane." His gold bright eyes suddenly grew darker. Lifeless. I moved my hand in front of his face, but he didn't respond. Only a few seconds later did the color return._

"_True is she, Nanami. When I heard of another True Vampire being born I immediately set off to find them. Thank you, for letting me see her." His hands touched my human ears, the slightest contact tickled them._

_My mother came to stand next to us. "You've been all alone in the world as the only one of your kind for a very long time. This is the least I could do."_

"_We're created in pairs."_

"_How do you know?" she asked curiously, tucking a stray piece of wavy light brown hair behind her ear. Her royal purple eyes shined inquiringly._

"_Call it primal instinct." He glanced up at her. "I just know." Looking back at me with his fluid eyes, I was mesmerized._

"_Tell me," she said. "Why is it that you've been hiding yourself from the world?"_

_He glanced at her quickly before looking back at me. "When I was younger and my powers not fully developed, I Glanced and saw many possibilities for my life, even if I couldn't see that far into the future. Most lead a path of destruction. So, I did everything within my power to take the only path that didn't take me the way the others did. And here I am." He smiled at me. I smiled back._

_My mother's shoes clicked against the stone floor as she came to kneel next to me. "I asked you here to help me. I can't hold her back any longer. My powers aren't working as well to keep hers contained."_

"_She has the black eyes of the Abyss. She will be even greater than I. Her powers will be very strong, too strong for her to contain at such a young age, unlike my own."_

"_Her powers will kill her," my mother whispered. Running her hand through my hair, she asked, "What do we do?"_

_Zidane sighed, looking down. Disoriented, I tried to get him to look back up. But as I reached for his chin I saw, just barely, the gold of his eye spark blue and a wet substance thinly line his eye. What was that?_

"_I'll seal her with all my power. It won't break until she's ready. If it did, she would be uncontrollable then." He examined my hand, unmarked and clear._

"_I'll help you," Nanami insisted, rising, smoothing her dark purple silk dress._

_Zidane looked up, giving her a small smile. "Thank you. I'll need it."_

"_This way," Mother said, gesturing down the hallway next to the stairs. He stood following her, my hand holding onto his coat as we walked. Nanami pulled a lamp on the wall. There was a _whoosh_ sound as a door seemed to pop out of the wall. "This leads to an underground corridor. No one will hear us, but we don't have much time." Nanami went through the door and down the stairs first. Zidane was about to follow before I tugged back on his cape. He looked down at me questioningly._

"_I don't like it," I pouted._

_He smiled kneeling down. "Don't worry. I'll be here." Somehow his words chased away any doubt I had, and we walked into the darkness together._

_We reached a large circular stone room. Mother stood at the center waiting for us The walls were lined with torches. A small crevice leaked drops of water._

"_What's going on, Mommy?"_

_She smiled lovingly at me, holding out her hands. "Come here honey." I went to her, wrapping my arms around her neck as she lifted me into her arms. "Koliko, my sweet, listen to Mommy, ok?" I nodded faintly. "You know how Papa has powers?"_

_I smiled. "To make me fly?"_

_She laughed softly. "Yes, to make you fly. Well, you have them too, but they are too strong for you to control right now. Do you understand?" She wiped a stray black hair from my face as I nodded._

"_I understand." I was glad she didn't treat me like a baby. Even though I was young, my thinking process was higher than a normal child's. Nanami kissed my cheek, setting me on the ground._

"_Nanami," Zidane said, moving towards me. "I need you to use your power to its full extent while I seal her. It's going to be painful when her powers try to stop me." He winced at the thought._

_I walked up to him, taking his hand. "I can do it," I said determinedly._

_Seconds later, I remember screaming. My screams, echoing off the stone walls. My left hand burning cold and hot at the same time. _No! Release me! _a voice yelled, _Release me!

"_Her powers are rejecting the seal," I heard Zidane yell._

"_I'm to my full extent. Her abilities are hardly affected anymore," Mother replied, holding onto me tightly as I squirmed._

_Zidane looked at me, our eyes locking. His own eyes seemed to be pained as he listened to my screams. He held my hand tightly, an eerie heated black glowed beneath his palms. "Take my hand, I will increase your power."_

"_You will be destroyed."_

"_I have lived only for this day," he whispered. "The seal will not stay if you do not take my power. Push back her own, she must live."_

"_Zidane!" I cried, but my voice wasn't childish, it was older._

_He held his right hand around my left, holding out the other for Nanami as she reach passed me to take hold of it. Wings ripped from his back, large, black and vampiric like, just seconds before their hands connected._

"_ZIDANE! NO!" my voice screamed. A bright white light burst between us all. The burning on my hand stopped and I felt Zidane's grasp slip from it. Nanami let go of her grip, breathing hard._

_I stumbled forward to Zidane's body which lay on the ground. Moving his head to look at me. The gold of his eyes was starting to solidify. "Don't leave me," I heard my voice say._

"_I pass to you my wings… God shall take care of you now." Zidane's hand reached up, caressing my face. And I watched as small swirls of blue tried to swim in his right eye, a single tear slipping from it. My own vision turned slightly blue as tears started to stream from only my left eye._

"_Don't leave me," I repeated hollowly as I watched the luminous gold dull and harden. His hand fell from my face to the cold hard ground._

"_Koliko," I heard Mother whisper behind me. I looked back at her only a second before running for the stone steps._

_I didn't know what happened to Zidane after that. Father found out about my seal when he came home, but he didn't blame Mother for doing what she had to. He didn't know who Zidane was, just that he was some vampire that assisted Mother and died in the process. Mother said his wings had disappeared when I'd left. There was no proof that he was the first True Vampire. Somehow I knew not to tell Father about him._

_I curled into a tighter ball under the covers of my bed. Though I couldn't sleep, I never slept. I was never tired. There was a soft knock on the door. Nanami stepped in without a sound, sitting on the edge of the bed. Without saying a word, she set her palm against my forehead and everything about that night disappeared._

_My eyes flickered open. Mother moved slowly from a chair beside my bed as I sat up. There was a severe pain on my hand. Looking down I found two black Chinese characters inscribed on the back just below my thumb._

"_Mama, what's this?" I asked, pointing to the script. I swore that wasn't there before._

_She took my hand in hers, studying the black lines. "_Darkness_, it reads." She looked at me, smiling. "You were born with it."_


	41. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40 - Mountains ****山**

_Days seemed to fly by quickly for some reason. Maybe it was because Father was staying home more often. When called out for a business meeting, he would recline the offer telling them, "My daughter means more to me than some business with humans. Take care of them yourself." And he stayed true to his words. Father would play with me whenever I wanted. Tell me stories about the much older days, how he met Mother, even when he was Turned, all under a candlelight._

_Or that Mother became somehow more attentive to me. Asking me how I was feeling, if my head hurt, how my hand felt. She never left my side for more that a second, maybe less. Not even to be with Father, who seemed to understand, but I thought he was lonely. Sometimes Mother wouldn't even leave to drink the red wine that she seemed to delight in so much. I saw her resist to extend her fangs when the milkman came by the house. Upon telling Father, he set his attentions to convincing her that I wasn't going to disappear if she drank something, that I would if she didn't, being deprived of blood seemed to be getting to her head._

_After that, Mother started feeling better, still attentive, but minding her own health as well instead of neglecting it. And Father seemed proud to have such a family. Until I was six months old._

_It came without warning. This strange pain that hurt my ears and my back. Father had gone out for a big vampire conference and Mother paced back and forth in my room trying to figure out what was wrong with me. Before I knew it, my ears had changed into something furry and black, like cat ears. And my back, covered in drying black blood, had grew something similar to a tail. I had heard from many villagers that cats were bad luck. When Father found out, I knew it was true._

"_What has happened to her?!" my father questioned. "Her ears, and a tail. Do you know what kind of position this will affect me with the vampire and human public? I shall be mocked for having a legendary _disgrace_ as a child."_

"_How dare you speak of her this way. She is still our daughter," Mother said guarding me._

"_I have to get rid of her." Father walked toward me, rage in his eyes._

"_No!" Mother moved in front of me as Father threw the dining table, chairs, even the glorious golden chandelier. She fended them off gracefully, not even ruffling her emerald green, strapless dress._

"_I believe a woman can still be dignified without covering everything up, yet still be modest and confident. One day I'm sure, the world will take on the custom, but I think, because humans are so simple minded, they will barely wear anything at all," is what I once heard her say to the seamstress._

"_Move away, Nanami. We must dispose of her before she disgraces this household."_

"_Disgrace us? How dare you say such a thing Aldaris!" she accused. "All we have ever want was to bring a True Vampire into the world, and we have! She is just a little different."_

"_It doesn't matter now. She needs to be disposed of," he said, advancing on us._

"_No matter what you think of her, she is still _my_ daughter. I will not allow any harm to come to her." Nanami moved forward, keeping her eyes locked on Aldaris. "Koliko, my sweet, listen to Mommy." I shook my head in fear. What had I done wrong? "You need to run, darling. Run as far away as you can." With a quick glance at me and a loving smile, she said, "Don't look back. Remember, Mama always and forever will love you." As I turned to run I heard instant rumbling and crashing, ripping and snarling._

"_Your powers will not stop me," I heard Father say. A sudden ticklish feeling crept into my head, but disappeared the same time I heard Mother's shrill scream. For once in my life, I disobeyed her and looked back._

_What I saw shook something that I couldn't remember inside my head. Mother's body fell from the kitchen door into the hallway by the stairs. Her head just as beautiful as an angel's, but dark blue blood poured from every orifice of her head. Nanami's still cold violet eyes gazed at me lifelessly. The feeling inside of me took my breath away, because somehow I knew now, that I was all alone in the world. My vision turned half blue, and I cried._

***

_I had been hiding for months, my clothes outgrew my body and I wore rags instead of the fine linens Mother had bought for me. I heard vampires more keenly than before, which helped me hide from them since I knew they were all on the lookout for the misfit._

_Once I tried living among the old gypsies and hags that walked along the deserted streets of the poor end of town, but they didn't want me. They tried to kill me themselves, but I was too fast when I ran away. Even walking on the streets among humans, I was chased away. Then I realized there was something about being a neko that no one would except me._

_On a cold winter's night, I walked alone on a snowy street. My bare feet hardly making any imprints. Nothing had a temperature or feeling to me. The puffs of breath I saw come from humans as the breathed didn't appear for me. My breath was just as cold as the weather itself._

_Suddenly, my body stopped walking. Nothing was under my control. I tried moving my legs, but they resisted with pain. My eyes scanned for anything around me and fell on a silhouetted figure. A shiver of fright ran through me, and for the first time since I got it, my seal started to burn._

_A man stepped forth from the night fog. His hair flamed as red as his bloody eyes. His features were perfect. I was sure all the human ladies swooned over him at first sight. He smiled cynically at me. With one hand, he flicked his forefinger and I flew back into the snow._

"_So this is the failed prodigy, eh?" he mused._

_With effort, I thrust my burning hand forward, in turn, he flew back too. As fast as I could I ran and ran, but it didn't seem fast enough. I hid behind barrels of goods that were to be exported to Europe. I huddled with my knees against my chest, praying that if there was a god, someone or something would save me._

"_Come out, come out wherever you are," the man sang. My body stiffened, I held my breath. Even that didn't work. My body rejected my control and moved from behind the barrels. "You have a particular scent about you. Perhaps it's because you haven't been properly taken care of."_

_I screams as my hands moved in patterns I never knew. Cuts appeared out of nowhere on my body, my blood staining the snow like oil. Invisible forces hit my face, and I choked. My seal burned heartily each time I was forced to hurt myself with whatever power I had. It went on for hours and hours. I wished I were dead as I lay limp on the ground, bones broken, nothing healing. But the man wouldn't give me the luxury of feeling release. My body would sometimes float high in the air, and he'd let me fall to the iced stone street. The sound of my bones snapping was the only thing I heard that made me feel anything._

"_It's a shame that your body is so young," the man said disappointedly, turning my head this way and that with a flick of his finger. "Too bad your father wants you dead. Or else I wait for you to ferment a little more." He smiled wickedly. "Hmm, maybe just a sample." He moved toward me, raising my body from the ground. As his face neared mine I felt a sharp stabbing pain in my mind of something forgotten. It was enough to wake me up._

_I thrust my searing hand against his chest. A burst of black flames engulfed his right side. He screamed and I dropped to the ground. My bones clicked and healed, no scars, as if nothing had even happened. The stranger ran into a building trying to stop the flames. But instead they attached to it too and began ravaging the whole city of Shanghai._

How good it feels_, a voice inside of me whispered. I nodded. Humans ran from their houses screaming, some trying to douse the flames with buckets of water. The black flames, were as different from the original as I was. Anger boiled inside me. _Yes, let me take control. I shall take good care of us. _The offer was taken. I didn't need anyone. They all hated me anyway. _What is it you wish for? _"I wish," I whispered, "that they would all die."_

_The last thing I remember, was being covered in human blood. Bodies dead all around me as black flames burned everything to ashes. The next 200 cities ended up the same way before something stopped my ravenous side._

_After regaining my sanity I traveled around, practicing what the limits of my powers were and how to use them. I stopped at a sparkling black beach, where the legendary creature Leviathan chose me. Soon, I traveled, unknown to me, to Werewolf Territory, where I killed three sibling wolves, and heard of another seeking revenge on me. Lastly, the only place I could find that left me isolated, was living in the Himalayas, between snow covered mountains where only Tibetan monks would dare enter._

_I stayed away, in a glass house I made myself, hidden by snow covered mountains._


	42. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41 - Past And Future ****從前和未來 **

I shook my head, disoriented. Back in the lush imaginary world. "You knew, all this time?" I asked quietly, staring at the ground, refusing to look up at the newly identified Zidane. "Everything about me? About us?"

From the corner of my eye I saw him shake his head. "No. The me outside, the one I am now, doesn't know anything."

"Why is that?"

He laid out his thoughts for a moment before speaking. "Before I died as a vampire, I Glanced farther into the future than I ever had. I think it was because of you. Anyway, if I sealed my powers as well as all of my memories while sealing you at the same time. Because the only way for your powers to be sealed is if an equal force, my powers, is sealed too. That's why I have this." He held out his right hand. The seal that mirrored mine shined white. "And I died to keep your powers from consuming you. Well, being reincarnated was a whole different story."

"Why not just come back as yourself? Why not you?" I reached my hand up, lightly touching his face. He took my hand in his and held it against his cheek, kissing the palm.

"My powers, my vampiric side, are sealed. I couldn't come back to you a True Vampire. You can't reincarnate something dead. It has to have life to be reincarnated. So, I came back human. Actually human, no powers, no Angelicacy, just me. Black hair, dark brown eyes, I'm human. But that didn't last long, you killed me at first sight." I had the let out a dry laugh at that. He smiled warmly. "Eventually, every reincarnation my seal would become more, how do I put it? apparent. Not that I knew about it, but I think it was instinct in hopes you would stop killing me off."

Again I let out a laugh, guiltily. "Do you know why you didn't kill me this last time?" he asked. I shook my head. "Because I was given blood of an angel when I was reincarnated. Blood you couldn't resist, but couldn't destroy either."

"So," I paused, thinking. "are you a vampire with an angel's blood?"

He laughed lowly, shaking his head. "No, all of my vampiric side died when I first did."

"Then what are you? A real Angel? Like the stories say?"

He looked at me, speculating. "I guess you could say that, just sealed in here." He gestured to the world. "My memories and powers. It's why outside, I'm sick. My powers are sealed, I can't heal myself."

"Why were you reincarnated?"

Zidane looked at me quizzically before breathing slow and long. "Remember, when you were smaller. I told you, God would take care of you." He looked at the shining lake under the night sky, then looked back at me, smiling at the corner of his mouth. "And he did. He gave me back to you." He smirked, laying back in the grass, his head cradled in my lap. "And who am I to question the will of God?"

I let out a hard laugh. "You really think this is God's will?"

He shrugged. "No, but at least my prayer was answered."

"And what was that?"

"That he would take care of you. Just as I said." There was no arguing with that. I didn't try contradicting him, it all made sense if I just went with it. I decided that even if you didn't believe in God, to at least believe in something, it's a whole lot better than nothing.

"Earlier, you said you Glanced into the future." He nodded slightly, his golden eyes closed. "What did you see?"

Zidane opened his eyes slowly, peeking up at me. "I'm not telling," he stated, obstinately.

"Awe, why not?" I fake pouted.

This time his look turned serious. Sitting up quickly, he faced me evenly. "Before I met you as a little girl, I Glanced about meeting you and all the things I would do before I did. And it all happened the way I saw." Gently, he held the antique silver key around my neck in his hand. "I gave this to Leviathan and asked it to take care of you when I was gone, and it gave the key back to me when I was with you on that beach." I looked at him in shock. He only nodded. "I saw everything up until I met you that night. I knew I was going to die, Glancing just helped me prepare for things I didn't see until I Glanced again in front of you." He let out as soft sigh. "I've seen everything, Koliko, up to this very moment and more. Not to the exact word, but everything within a matter of seconds."

"Then what's going to happen in the future? Can you still Glance?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I got rid of that cursed power when I died."

"Why?" I asked in shock.

"Because, some Glancers see broad ranges of the future, different paths. I did too until my powers matured, soon it was harder to see lots of paths. Only one definitive trail of the future that would most likely take hold. I won't tell you because once you know the future you can't change it, at some points it's not as liquid as everyone says, it only changes if you don't know it." Zidane shook his head of whatever he was picturing that I couldn't see. "The only thing that could've changed the path I saw, was if I wasn't reincarnated. Then you, the world, would have been destroyed. But I saved the world then, and I've come to save it again."

"So you won't tell me the future you saw?" I asked quietly.

"No. I prefer to keep the secrets of the future to myself." He smirked, poking my forehead. "As long as I live, the future is unchangeable since I saw a definite route. I'd prefer to keep it a surprise."

"You're a jerk." I punched him in the shoulder.

"You love me for it." He laughed.

I laughed too. "Yes, I do." I leaned forward, kissing him softly on the cheek.

He eyes caressed me lovingly, then brightened up even more so. "Oh," he whispered to himself. Suddenly he was wearing a white cloak and searching for a hidden pocket. His wings moving as if they had their own personalities to get out from beneath the fabric, my own still lay on the grass comfortably. Zidane took my left hand and slyly slid a ring onto my long, slim finger. It was small and delicate, but beautiful. A thin band with a heart that held a petite diamond inside. I looked at it in awe, then up at him in wonder.

"I've been meaning to give that to you. I thought that, if our lives hadn't taken such a turn, we could've been together without me having to die all the time. This," he said, kissing the ring delicately. "is my heart." My vision tinged blue, and a tear rolled like a feather down my face. "Now that you know who I am…will you still take care of it?"

I smiled. "Forever," I promised. Zidane smiled back. The moment was priceless, even if I didn't know what to do in exchange, he knew he held my heart as well.

There was a subtle shake underneath us. The grass moved along with the ground instead of the breeze. The sound of rocks crashing and falling filled the air. The black, starry sky turned into a bloody red while the lake water started to boil.

Zidane and I stood quickly, he held onto my side tightly. "What's happening?" I asked worriedly.

The willow trees cracked and fell, making the ground shake harder.

"It's ok," Zidane whispered, looking around before turning to me. Gently, ever so gently, he kissed me. Heat sparked through my body. Electricity coursed through my veins. He pulled back. "It's just time to wake up."

Startled, I grabbed a hold of his cloak, pulling him closer so he wouldn't disappear. My wings wrapped around us, his own seemed in tune and did the same. "What about you? Can't we stay here?"

He trailed a finger along my cheek. "Your seal is broken, so is mine. Everything, I will finally remember on the outside. Don't worry, love. You will find me."

As the words spilled from his mouth, I knew that this was the only thing about the future he would tell me. And that was enough. I pressed my lips against his as long as I could before I felt everything dissolve away and disappear.


	43. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42 - Nightmares ****惡夢**

Pain. A sudden shock of pain. It's that moment when you wake up and realize that you're hurt, but you couldn't feel it when you were asleep. Pain, chased away by electricity that flowed steadily inside. However, it wouldn't disappear. There were only brief moments that granted my relief from the stinging on my skin that didn't want to heal.

My wings bled, dripping onto the floor which had been eaten through nearly two feet, now as uneven as mountains. Even my clothes had acidic bites through them. An itch scratched at my throat, I was so thirsty, I had lost too much blood. Still, everything was starting to get clearer. My senses less foggy.

"Finally decided to wake up, huh?" My breath held still. Cavan leaned against the wall boredly before smirking at me. "Honestly, it was kinda dull. With you disappearing from yourself somehow, I couldn't control anything about you. I had to do it all manually."

He walked nonchalantly to the chains of my vampiric wing. I only followed him with my eyes, my vision not red for the moment, but everything was magnified and perfect. Cavan grabbed hold of the chain just above the hook that gouged the once smooth leather of my wing. I winced at the pain, but electricity just as quickly took it away. Trying not to be noticed, I glanced at the hook. The metal was different, not weak enough to be eaten through by my blood, but I could see fine cracks along the blood covered metal.

"Do you remember when we first met?"

I averted my gaze to the consumed floor. Cavan yanked on the chain for my answer. I bit down on my lip, my fangs sinking deep. What was once clear vision, started to tint red. But, like before, electricity killed the pain swiftly. My ear twitched, my hand trembled. Looking up my arm I saw what I thought only existed in a dream. A gold ring held fast on my finger, shining brightly even in the darkness. The broken seal pulsed faintly. _Zidane…_

Irritated, Cavan moved in front of me, grabbing the back of my head and pulling it up so we were face to face. His eyes seemed to change from annoyance to playfully evil. "I told you it would be nice if you fermented for a little while. And after a few hundred years, I'd say you matured nicely." His tongue ran down along my jaw sickeningly. A cold hand slid around my neck as if to choke me before descending downward. My seal started to burn cold then colder as he touched me. Electricity coursed through me in agitation. As Cavan's face drew closer to mine, my vision swirled into scarlet before turning clear, but my eyes, I knew, were still bloody red.

"Don't _touch_ me," I hissed. Instinct's voice, my voice. Clear and no longer strained.

Before Cavan could respond I jerked myself forward enough to sink my fangs in the his neck. Injecting something on instinct that started to sizzle. He yelled out in pain before slamming a fist into my head to make me let go. Just as I did a silhouette of a figure crashed into him and they both hit the floor. Snarling and hissing.

Quickly, I looked everywhere chains held me. Blood spilled into my mouth willingly and I spat at the chains on my wings. They steamed slightly, fine cracks no bigger than the width of a hair was the price they paid. But it was enough. Holding my breath I yanked both wings downward. The chains didn't break, but blood spilled further into the cracks, eating more of whatever it could. Again I yanked, still no break. My wings shocked with pain as feathers and skin tore a little more each time.

The mysterious silhouette I had seen clashing with Cavan flew past me into the wall. Though I had small hopes, he wasn't Zidane. A black torn t-shirt with an open black button up shirt over it, and black baggy jeans. Black hair that was just long enough to cover his eyes, a tall frame, but he was a vampire. Hash?

"I knew you couldn't be trusted as soon as we brought you here. Aldaris is a fool to give you such high ranks in the Order. He should've killed you instead of Turning you." Cavan moved toward him limping. One hand held against his neck where my bite had taken place. Lifting his free hand in a puppet-like manner, suddenly, the unknown vampire was being held in the air. "I'll save him the trouble, and kill you for him."

I averted my gaze, yanking my wings for the final time. The chains gave way. My wings drooped, settling weakly on the floor. I breathed hard against the pain before electricity dissolved it. I spat on the chains that held my legs and arms. Lifting with all my strength my vampiric wing, grinding the edge against the fractured steel. But my strength was quickly dispersing. Just as I cut through one side of a chain link, Cavan flew passed me into the wall, unconscious.

I glanced back at the stranger. His hands were held the same puppet stance before he looked at me and dropped them, moving toward me. What I saw was unique. His eyes were two colors. The left sapphire blue, the right and emerald green. By this, he definitely wasn't Hash.

"Who are you?" I questioned. He said nothing, only grabbing the chains that I was trying to cut and pulling them apart. Silently, he moved behind me, snaking the chain from around my leg, my back, then down my other leg until they were both free. Now I only hung from my arms.

"Xavier." He pulled against the chain wrapped around one arm, it broke with a resistant screech. He moved into the blood eaten whole beneath me. Gently, he held my legs so I wouldn't fall while he snaked the chain from around my stomach and other arm. I sat on his shoulder like a free bird.

For a moment I stayed silent, waiting for my mind to catch up. The pain started to dissolve into its finality. "You're the one Zidane and the others were looking for."

He said nothing, only watching me as I moved my arms and legs, testing their stiffness. Carefully, he set me down, holding onto my shoulders as I tried to regain my footing. Xavier watched me cautiously as I started to walk. I couldn't move fast, my body still didn't want to heal, and I limped as I walked.

"I was captured and Turned. Aldaris thought I would be a great asset to his army since I don't need blood to live."

I looked at him skeptically. "Why don't you need blood? All vampires need blood."

Xavier shook his head. "Not me. My blood accumulates on its own. I have to drain my blood, not salvage it by drinking from others."

"That's strange. I never heard of such a vampire." Something on his arms caught my attention. Cuts. Two long cuts on each arm extended from his elbow to the palm of his hands. More apparent than the thin and thick silvery scars that sliced across and covered nearly both his arms. I averted my gaze from them, trying not to stare. I changed the subject. "What kind of powers do you have?"

There was silence for a minute before he responded. Examining my wounds and my face. I could only imagine what I looked like. "I'm able to copy the powers of others to a certain extent and keep them for as long as I want. Unless I find another power to take, then my previous powers are erased. It's how I got in here, took the ability to teleport."

"And you have the Puppet Master's powers now?" I asked, pointing to Cavan. Xavier nodded.

"Why did you come here?" I asked, trying to step out of the hole. But it was more like an attempt of climbing Mount Everest to me.

Xavier jumped ahead silently, holding out his hand to help pull me up. I took it gratefully. "I used to be able to Glance before I started teleporting. That and Hash told me."

"Hash? He's alive then?" I asked relieved, standing on unsteady legs.

He nodded. "You'll run into him soon. He'll help you find Zidane."

Before I could feel a sense of hope I winced at a stinging sensation around the wounds of my wings and fell to my knees, furling them against me tightly. Xavier was suddenly next to me, putting pressure on them to stop the thin streams of blood. To my surprise, the blood didn't eat away at his hands.

Suddenly, Xavier was thrown to the ground, sliding into the wall. I looked up at Cavan, his red eyes liquid, a malicious smile on his scarred face. He came toward me, slamming the back of his hand into my face, sending me to the ground. Xavier smashed into him faster than sound, a loud crack erupted as he sent Cavan into the wall, followed by a gust of wind that swirled inside the large room.

"You need to get out of here quickly," he whispered, lifting me up under the arm. We moved to the door, it opened suit.

"What about you?" I asked as he pushed me into a hallway.

"Don't worry about me," he said, taking my hand, running a finger across the seal before lightly kissing it. An involuntary shiver ran up my spine. "I've got all the power I need." Turning, Xavier disappeared back into the room, the solid metal doors closing the vampires in.

Hesitantly, I looked down both sides of the hall, pushing what had just happened to the back of my mind. I didn't know where to go. Everything felt like a maze. One hall led to another as I walked through them, hands holding me up against the wall so I could even move. A few doors aligned the walls. Through some windows I saw humans, slaves. Potentials that were Turning. One room I saw someone familiar. Raven. She was chained to the wall, bleeding and naked, blonde hair cut and ragged. Against my better instincts before I knew it, I entered.

Once catching sight of me, the hostility in her eyes disappeared turning earnest. "Kill me," she begged immediately. Beside her and along the other walls hung corpses of other naked women, wombs torn open, some just bled out. I should have been surprised, but I had seen half vampires born before. "Kill me," she repeated, tears breaking from her swollen eyes.

Silently I moved toward her. The Four Reapers shifting next to me. "Imagine a world," I whispered, putting my right hand beside her head, the other over her stomach. "Where everything is exactly how it should be." The reapers scythes drew out their long curved blades. "Perfect and peaceful." I sifted into her mind, pulling on different strands of thought. "Where you can sleep without nightmares." With one final draw and the reapers dividing her painlessly, Raven's eyes lit up and she let out a long relaxed breath as she drifted from the world.


	44. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43 - Like Me ****像我**

An alarm sounded. Red lights flashed in circles as I reentered the hallway. I breathed hard, sucking in the pain as I tried to move along the wall. The loud siren hurt my ears, I pressed them against my head, hoping to block out some of the sound as I kept moving. My wings dragged along the floor, blood smearing and leaving acidic bites. I was so tired.

I faintly heard yelling in the distance and quickened my pace as fast as I could. But try as I might, my legs started to give way.

"No," I cried weakly, clawing at the wall to keep myself up. Sharp nails digging into the metal. "Just a little farther."

"There she is!" someone called. "Seize her! Immediately!"

Glancing back, I saw a large group of vampire soldiers heading toward me. Some were hesitant, but others encouraged them that I was too weak to fight back. And for the most part, they were right. Trying to face them weakly, my eyes sharpened on each one before suddenly going out of focus. I couldn't concentrate, they all seemed to blur together.

One reached me, smiled cynically, and thrust a hand against my chest. Just before I flew back I spit at him, blood covered his face. He screamed as he tried to rub it off. I expected to hit the floor or the wall, instead I hit something soft that grabbed me in a warm, well warm for a vampire, hug.

Slowly I gazed up at the hooded figure. He smiled genuinely. Starched white teeth and his normal fangs had become longer and sharper. Brown eyes looked down at me kindly. Black hair making it look like he'd fit into the Gothic era if he had lived back then.

"Hey Koliko," he greeted. "You look like shit." Well I could see that Turning had slightly changed his personality, but I smirked.

"Slight bruising," I replied. "Cup of tea and I'll be right as rain."

"You need more than tea," Hash said, laughing lightly. Gently, he lifted me up, carefully positioning my wings so they folded against my back as he held me, and took off down the halls.

"Glad someone knows their way around here. It's a horrible maze." I leaned my head against his shoulder, trying to calm the dizziness I felt coming on.

"I'll take you as far as I can," he said. "They're after me and Xavier too."

"So what, are you two in high ranks with the vampire Order?" I asked critically, keeping my eyes shut.

Hash laughed. "Xavier was, he's been here longer and has gained their trust. I, on the other hand, am the escaped convict." I tried to laugh but it came out as a sigh. Hash noticed I was starting to lose consciousness so he kept talking. "How do you like him?"

"He's nice," I strained to say. "Different. His eyes…seem lonely."

"Yeah, he's had a hard life. The bunker he was raised at had this suspicion that different colored eyes meant death. So they all beat him, even his parents, hoping to delay the effects." He swerved into a connected hallway. "Some even thought different colored eyes meant he'd Change into a werewolf." He shook his head laughing. "Look how that turned out."

Xavier's blue and green eyes looked back at me behind closed lids. My eyes, naturally black, never held or revealed any emotion. And his, so vivid and able to express anything, detained nothing. Like me. He was solemn, misunderstood, and grew up in darkness. Like me.

"What I can't figure out is why we aren't so ravenous like normal vampires."

"It's Zidane," I whispered, wincing at his name. "His powers unconsciously protected your minds so you wouldn't lose your memories and turn into complete monsters. In turn, you also kept your soul."

I felt Hash look down at me. "How do you know?"

I let out a quiet tired sigh. "The reapers told me."

Suddenly, we stopped. With effort I forced my eyes to open. We were in a hallway that looked exactly the same as all the others. I couldn't help but roll my eyes in exasperation.

"The reapers? As in the legendary Four Reapers told in stories?" I nodded slightly. "You see them?"

"They exist because of me. Made of Darkness, just like me."

I heard hissing sounds all around us. Faintly, I watched vampires spilled into the hallway to capture us. They were positioned for attack. Even half vampires were there to serve as the first wave of assault. All waited, aligning themselves into formation. Hash set me down softly, helping me to regain my balance.

I looked up at him. "What kind of powers do you have?"

He smirked, looking from the vampires to me. "Something like Xavier. The only thing is, I can't completely copy and keep them like Xavier, but I can control all the powers any vampire has as my own, not just one at a time. Unless they die or get out of range."

"Your powers are just opposite of his." I leaned against the wall. "It's amusing. Do you accumulate your own blood too?"

He looked at me with humor playing in his brown red sparking eyes. "Xavier cuts. I inject." Hash drew out a needle with a syringe filled with a mysterious black substance. Without hesitance he stuck it into his arm and injected it. "When I was human I used to be a cook. Got even better after Turning. Don't need blood. I can make and take serums as a replacement. Just me though, it doesn't work for other vampires."

Something clicked inside my head like a puzzle piece. "What did Xavier excel in as a human?"

He thought about it. "Writing."

"Seems your human aptitudes became of some use to you since Turning. You used to cook, now you can make serums as replacement for blood. Xavier could write, now he has to loose blood, like a paper cut." I glanced down the hall, noticing the vampires had already started advancing.

Hash looked at me with amusement, folding his arms against his chest. "You solve the weirdest puzzles in the world. You're in serious need of some kind of entertainment to take your mind of things. Like video games or something."

Just as a halfling lunged at us, Hash held his hand out as if to stop him. A black light blazed from it and the half didn't even screech as it disintegrated into dust.

Hash looked at his hand in amazement. "Wow, you may be drugged up and not able to use your powers yourself, but holy shit."

I glared at him. "You and Xavier both. Stop using me," I joked.

He smiled innocently. I watched as the red became more apparent in his eyes and his pupils become slit like mine. "You're the most powerful one here. Literally, you have practically every power any vampire has. As soon as you get a hold of yourself I'm sure our powers won't really work on you anymore." With a smirk, he stuck his finger in my face. "Just this once." As he took off toward the he glanced back and winked at me. "Maybe."

He moved like Xavier had. Quicker than sound. There was a large cracking sound and a sudden gust of wind followed after it in the direction he went. Vampires flew against the walls, indenting them. Hash stood at the opposite end of the hall from me.

"Find Zidane, Koliko," he called as vampires attacked him. But he merely brushed them away like toys.

Vampires headed for me before Hash knocked them away. I scrambled against the wall as I limped away as fast as I could. "I don't know how." I looked down at my seal, it started to pulse. Pulling me.

_Zidane…_

_Koliko._


	45. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44 - Melodies & Lullabies ****曲調和催眠曲**

Besides the sirens and flashing red lights, the only other sounds that I could hear at the moment was Hash's toying around with newly found powers. Screeching, hissing vampires tried to attack or escape, but it wasn't enough to get away from my supremacy. I could just feel his amusement. If he was like this as a human, it didn't show until now, and it made me smile.

The halls seemed to stretch longer every agonizing second I limped down the hall. Blood seeped slowly one the ground. Biting at it wherever it smeared from my dragging wings. My legs felt heavier than they ever had. The only thing compelling me to not give up was a pulling awareness that I was going to find Zidane. But even then my body was trying to convince me otherwise.

"_What's your favorite number?"_ _I heard a familiar, yet childlike voice ask._

_From behind a tree I followed the sound that drifted against a summer breeze. Everything about me was healed, yet I knew that I wasn't really there. My hands fell through the weeping willow tree when I tried to lean against it to get a better view._

_Even so, I saw a little girl standing in a meadow full of golden wheat that rippled in waves against the cool gentle wind. Her darker than black hair swayed sweetly around her face. She was me. In the world Zidane had only just shown me. She turned toward me and for a moment I thought she could see me, but instead, Zidane walked forward just passing me. Blonde hair turning white from the sun._

"_Seven," he replied. "What's yours?"_

_I giggled. "Thirteen."_

"_Your favorite color? Mine is white," he said, going along with the question game._

"_Black."_

_Zidane smirked. "Aren't we truly opposites then?" he asked, circling yet keeping his distance._

_I smiled bigger, small un-extended fangs glistening a starched white. "Opposite's attract, Mama told me."_

_Zidane closed his eyes, tilting his head up. "Indeed. Created in pairs," he whispered. Before I could blink he sat on a stool, dressed in a white tailed suit, behind a most beautiful white grand piano that wasn't there before. Without hesitating, his long slender fingers ran across the keys, coaxing lovely melodic notes to sing from them._

_For a moment I froze. The lullaby was so familiar. Without realizing, my body had moved on its own to stand just behind him. My clothing had changed to an elegant strapless black dress that tied criss-crossed in the back, looking as if it had been designed by my mother. Even if I wasn't really there, Zidane's scent filled me with every kind of loving intoxication._

_Every so often, Zidane would come to a certain part of the melody and stop, as if he didn't know the rest, and start over from the beginning. But I knew, oh, I knew. Slowly, I reached over his shoulder to touch the piano keys._

_Surprisingly my hand didn't dissolve through them. Gently, I followed into the song and the notes played side by side with each other. The keys would press down by some invisible force that they couldn't see. When the part came that he would stop, he kept playing. I looked at him, spying a smirk at the edge of his lips, and realized he had wanted me to come play with him._

"_Please don't leave me again," my child self and I said at the same time._

_When the melody started to close, Zidane laid his head back against my invisible shoulder. "I shall come back to you," he whispered. A sensation started to pull at me. To pull me away from this magnificent place. I stood, tilting Zidane's head back a little farther, taking his face between my hands and kissing him. His hair started to change black as he hit the last note of the lullaby and everything swirled away._

_A faint knock woke me up. Mother walked in, putting her hand on my forehead, chasing all my memories of Zidane away._

When I came to my senses, I stood before a door marked with a "7". My seal was pulsing rapidly. Immediately, a faint heartbeat reached my ears, playing the exact same lullaby that ran across piano keys. With all my strength I burst through the door, ignoring the pain.

Zidane hung, held up by chained arms, against a bloody wall. Mainly his chest was cut and trickling to add to the pool of blood below him. His perfect face was now ashen and hollow looking. I ran forward with tears streaming from my eye. Wrapping him in my arms as if he would disappear again.

"Koliko," Zidane whispered, nuzzling his face weakly into my hair.

Without a word or thought, I bit into his neck. Refusing the blood that spilled into my mouth in response. I released my healing venom like a snake. More and more until I was too tired to inject anymore. I fell back. But before I hit the ground I heard chains crack. Warm arms pulled me up against their source. The fragrance filled me like morphine. I couldn't feel any pain, just Zidane's skin against my face.

"You need blood," he said quickly, his voice so angelic, golden eyes troubled as he looked at me. Zidane's face wasn't sunken, but just as perfect as the days we met. As he lifted his wrist to my lips, I pushed it back.

"We have get out of here first." The outer parts of my vision started to fog with black.

He growled at my defiance, but followed my orders instead of arguing. I heard a ripping sound and looked up to see the glorious white feathered wings I had only seen in dreams. Swiftly and carefully, he lifted and cradled me against him. With one pound of his wings, we erupted with speeds so fast everything blurred and I couldn't focus.

"You need to drink, you're losing consciousness," he said, finally decided to argue.

"I'm not going to die from lack of blood."

"But you will be in a dangerous condition. You could go into a coma again. Or be more vulnerable to be killed."

With a weak finger I lifted some blood from his skin, stick the luscious chocolate into my mouth. My cold body filled with the warmth of it. I smirked as my eyes closed. "You'll protect me, I'm sure." I felt his gaze on me and a small smile that came with it.

I heard hissing and screeches. Snarls and growls. But none lasted very long, each ended with a shrill scream that seemed dull in my ears now. Zidane moved with such grace, I hardly felt any movement, though I knew we were being chased and attacked around every corner.

"Just a little farther," I heard someone say.

With another stroke of wings the hard wind only seemed to press like a breezed against my cheek as our speed increased. Loud claps of thunder came with it. Not just one, but three.

There were noises unlike any I'd ever heard before.

"Faster," I heard another voice call.

The shrieks became louder. Louder. Louder. They followed us every move we made. Everywhere we went.

I felt the fresher air kiss my face and brush my hair as we burned through the sky. As the distance increased, the sounds became silent. The only things I could hear were the beats of Zidane's wings, the running steps of Hash and Xavier on the ground beneath us, and Zidane's lovely stimulating heartbeat.

"Why save the life of Darkness?" I barely whispered.

"Without it, shall the Light be destroyed." Zidane replied.


	46. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45 - Coexistence ****共存**

My senses started to wake up from being numb as I licked what blood I could from Zidane's chest. I thought it amusing how we would tilt one way then the other as he tried to ignore the feeling and correct his flight pattern. However, the power of his blood filled my every desire in that moment, and I knew he could feel it too. At one point the he lost focus and we started to fall straight down. Zidane growled as he kissed me just as he had in my imaginings. We writhed in the pleasure.

I laughed at this, positioning myself to be parallel with him, wrapping my arms around him and spread my healed wings for the first time in reality rather than a dream. They caught the air as if they had never been injured with holes or torn feathers that were no longer there. A few stings here and there from actual use, but the did what they were meant for. I propelled us back up, toward and into the clouds.

They dampened our skin, though it was barely noticeable. Amazing how everything that happened could be forgotten in a sheer second. How you could be so caught up in something that the past, future, and world disappears. But I wasn't about to stop it. I wanted to keep seeing the world as black and white.

My wings ached from use. They weren't exactly fit to fly at the moment. In return, Zidane swooped me up with his own. They clawed the air, slicing through it at a perfect vertical angle. Higher and higher. The higher we went, the colder it got, but neither of us seemed to notice. We burst through the clouds, under a blanket of stars. They sparkled as if they were glad to finally have visitors. Someone to look at them after all these years. And for a minute, I felt saddened and my vision of a black and white world vanished.

"What's wrong?" he whispered into my ear, nuzzling his face into the gentle curve of my neck.

"You nearly got killed because of me."

Zidane pulled back at this. "You shouldn't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault."

"And how is it not? Had I not been able to save you, you would have died! And that would have been on me." I looked away, feeling a rim of water on the edge of my eye, but my vision stayed clear though I knew my bloody red eye was flashing blue.

"But I didn't." Zidane shook my shoulders gently. "You saved me."

"I'm not so deserving of any kindness from you. Every has been my fault to start with." As if my wings had their own minds, they knew exactly what to do before I thought about it. I pulled myself away from Zidane, hovering above the sheet of dark gray clouds. Within the instant I let him go I felt so empty and alone. I wanted so badly just to fly back into his warm arms, but I wouldn't move.

Zidane pinched the bridge of his nose. "Haven't we gone over this already? I forgive you for everything. Now and in the future." His golden eyes sparked like a flame as his voice rose. "I Glanced everything, Koliko. Nothing is your fault, it's mine, ok? I set of the chain reaction of the future. I made this future happen. Why?" Before I could blink he was in front of me. Carefully setting a hand on the side of my face as if I would run away. His voice was quieter as if he meant to apologize for yelling. "Because I wanted to be here. I wanted you, and everything about you. I wanted to go through Hell if that's what it took to have you. This future was the only one that gave me you." In a lower voice, he said, "So, please, forgive me for ever making you feel that way."

A tear escaped down my face. With his thumb, Zidane wiped it away. "You are forgiven," I whispered, trying to be quiet enough my voice didn't crack. My snaked my arms around his neck, bringing his face down to me. Meeting his lips with mine. His arms wrapped around my waist pulling me closer and tighter against him. His wings beat slowly while mine dropped to hang in the air. "What are you so good to me?" I asked.

He smirked. "You're my girl."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, well, there's still going to be a part of me that thinks I'm bad for you."

Zidane sighed sarcastically. "Why can't I ever be the bad guy?"

Instead of replying, I just stuck my tongue out at him. Which he suddenly stuck into his mouth, snaking his own into mine. Shocking, and not exactly the reaction I had planned for, but I'd take it. His breath was hot against my mouth. Lips tasted like a piece of heaven itself. My senses wrapped around him, so alert to everything he did. Hands ravaged as they moved across my icy skin, leaving trails of fire burning where fingers had touched. Melodious heartbeats filling the air and my ears. At first I thought I was dreaming, but I felt my dead heart ever so slowly start to beat again. And I let myself go.

***

"Koliko!" Ryan jumped at me as soon as he caught sight of Zidane and I walking hand in hand up the street of what used to be Las Vegas. His blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he drew me in for a hug. Eh… "Wow." Ryan ran his fingers over my wings with curiosity. "That's knew." He looked at Zidane, seeing his own pair as well.

Ryan moved between Zidane and I. Glaring at Zidane suspiciously. "Aaaaah, you've taken away my sister's innocence!" he cried, holding me tighter and pretending to bawl. My eyes widened in shock at his statement. Well he didn't have to say it out loud.

Zidane rolled his eyes, smirking, waving it off before walking to the others.

Hash and Xavier stood with Ayden and Raelki at an entryway of a broken down hotel. Both their eyes sometimes flashed with red, their pupils slit. All looking at the three of us in amusement. Humans stood a little distance away from them, looking at each other with confusion.

They all greeted Zidane like brother's. I faintly heard Ayden remarking something about romancing a vampire and Zidane laughing before Ryan snapped his fingers in front of my face.

"Come on, I want to show you something." He tugged on my arm like a little kid. I followed absently, into the hotel, down into, guess what? more tunnels. Oh, the joy. I mentally made a map of how to get back out of there if I couldn't teleport. Xavier and Hash stayed outside, apparently they weren't exactly excited about tunnels either. Raelki was called for some other matter to help a woman with dinner. Ayden was nowhere to be seen.

Zidane walked beside me before Ryan moved between us. I smirked at him, while laughing inside at how Ryan now had a protective sister complex. Zidane shrugged. _I'm not worried_, he said. _You're mine anyway._ Had I been human, I'm sure my face might've flushed light red. But then again, I don't think I'd be one of those kinds of humans.

We stopped in front of a glass door covered in condensation. Ryan opened it and a flush of moist air spilled on us. I noticed Ayden was already inside. He was kneeling in the dirt of a large room that had artificial lights along the walls, planting seeds that he held in his hands. The walls were aligned with glass so it seemed like a greenhouse. A white wolf lay on the ground next to him, Odin, I believe. Nuke next to her before jumping up to see Ryan. In spite of myself, I hissed, making Ryan and Ayden laugh while Zidane ran a hand through my hair chuckling to himself.

"We're growing our own food," a gruff voice said behind us. We all turned to see Nate coming up, still dressed up to look like a lumberjack. "Just started it a few months ago. But it's have a hard time growing anything bigger than a pinky finger. Hardly nutritious or filling. Somethin's wrong with the soil, I don't know."

"Koliko can help with that," Zidane volunteered.

I looked at him skeptically. "No I can't."

He took my hand in his, leading me into the humid warm air. It made my clothes want to cling to my cold skin. "Yes you can. You did it before with the pear."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, but it's not like I do it out of habit. I didn't even know I could."

"Try it again, then," Zidane insisted.

I sighed and stretched my wings before folding them against me. Kneeling I held a hand over a dinky little plant that seemed to be at its wits end. _Grow_, I thought. Suddenly, the stem coiled and sprung upwards, climbing the glass wall like a spider until finally settling down. Small gray blossoms opened before dropping down and turning into clusters of shiny white grapes. The power came so naturally I didn't have to concentrate like before.

"See," Zidane whispered in my ear. "In Light, there is Darkness. And in Darkness, there is Light."


	47. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46 - Located 位於**

A hand reached over me, picking a large plump grape. Zidane examined it before popping it into his mouth. I heard the juice slash when his teeth broke it open. Zidane looked at me curiously. The sound suddenly reminded me his own blood swimming around in my mouth, the delectable taste of heaven soaking into my tongue. My mouth started to water and fangs extended unrestrained as I was lost in delightful thoughts.

I snapped out of it when Zidane held a perfectly round grape in front of my face. I looked at him critically. "What?" I asked, annoyed I had been taken from my thoughts.

"Try it," he insisted, moving the grape closer to my lips.

I rose my eyebrow at him. "I don't eat food. I'm a vampire. Or haven't you figured that out yet?" I pushed the white fruit away with a finger. "How you humans think it's appetizing is beyond me." Folding my arms, I stared at him, waiting for him to eat it instead. However, Ryan snatched it first.

"Mmmm. This is delicious," he exclaimed, blue eyes growing brighter. With a bit of overexcitement, Ryan grabbed my hand and drug me over to where Ayden was kneeling, almost done planting his handful of seeds.

"It's quite extraordinary," I heard Nate muse behind me.

The white wolf's ears perked, lifting her head when she saw me. "Odin, Koliko. Koliko, Odin," Ayden introduced.

The wolf watched me intriguingly, tilting her head to the side as if to examine me. She wasn't like Nuke, her species was different. Odin was much larger, nearly seven feet in length, and judging from the length of her legs, would stand nearly four feet tall. Whereas, Nuke, was only five feet long and three feet tall, like a maturing pup, or a runt, either way. Also, she watched me with interest rather than ignore me like the gray.

"Make these grow like before," Ryan urged with anticipation, pointed to the freshly planted seeds.

I sighed holding a hand just above the ground. With a simple thought, the seeds sprouted. Bright green stems crawled out of the ground as if they wanted to hold my hand. Slowly, I stood as the plants kept reaching out for my cold fingers. They spiraled and twisted. Some spread to cover the dirt floor, while others endeavored to grow taller. I took my hand away, watching as they continued to grow. Leaves burst from the ground, blossoms bloomed in greeting before turning into apples, oranges, carrots, and other various vegetables and fruits.

The wilting plants the were left seemed to be encouraged by the sudden enthusiasm. So in turn they started to grow too. Various berries formed from many different colored flowers. What used to be a dying garden was now a small lush forest. Ryan applauded with joy. What a weirdo…

"It's just fruit," I stated boredly.

Ryan frowned. "You're no fun," he complained. "This is awesome!"

Feeling somewhat guilty, I pushed him lightly on the shoulder, careful not to tip him over. "Well, just because it's you," I said, trying to sound something like an older sister. A…_much_ older sister. It must've worked, for a smile spread across his face.

"Let's get pickin'," Nate hollered with a laugh, grabbing a basket. Great, I used to destroy humans and watch their suffering with amusement, now I'm helping them. What in the world is wrong with me? Quickly, Ryan grabbed a woven basket hidden under the foliage. A large and extremely orange carrot plucked from the ground as he started harvesting. Ayden did the same.

A sudden irresistible smell filled my nose. Any other supernatural would have barely noticed it since it was so weak, but it hit me like a train. I looked to find Zidane, but he wasn't in the room, much to my discomfort. Checking the others, who were busy stuffing as much food their baskets could hold, I followed the scent anxiously. Oh, how I knew this scent of heaven.

My feet carried me quickly down winding halls. Taking me deeper into another maze I didn't care to memorize at the moment. The smell grew stronger and stronger with each step. I came to a darkened hallway, coming to a complete stop when the scent suddenly disappeared.

Disoriented from the trance, I whirled around, trying to figure where the hell I was. A hand reached over my shoulder, covering my mouth and dragging me into a blackened room, the metal door closing tightly.

My eyes locked onto Zidane as he smirked triumphantly. Trying to hold my anger I pushed his hand away, but that was the only thing I was able to do before my hold slipped and a strange exhilaration took place.

"What on earth are you do--" He pushed a grape into my mouth.

Before I could spit the thing out he said, "Eat it." So I chewed, trying to understand the maneuver of my jaw, watchful to not cut myself with my fangs. My teeth sliced the grape, spilling fragrant juice on my tongue. I had to admit as I swallowed that it was quite the new experience. Zidane smiled. "Never ate anything before, huh?"

I nodded and shrugged. "It's not exactly something I'd like to keep doing," I replied. He chuckled.

"So, what _do_ you like to do for fun?" he asked. "If not make things grow?"

With a smirk I said, "Kill humans." Zidane laughed at the words rather than be disgusted.

"You truly are Dark, aren't you?" He stuck out his tongue teasingly and I noticed a small cut along it that was being restrained to heal over, tinged with red and releasing the luxurious scent from before.

I could just imagine what I looked like right then. My eyes large, pupils dilated with want. Zidane smiled, beneath strands of black hair his glowing eyes shined. Anxiously, I leaned toward him. Crushing his lips against mine, desperately trying to get to the blood behind them. But he wouldn't open his mouth and I whined. A quiet laugh rumbled through his chest, I felt his lips turn up into a smile. Jerk.

I pulled back downhearted, pouting. Turning to the door about to pull it back open and leave before white wings blocked my way, turning me and wrapping around me, flicking his tongue inside my mouth. Drops of blood from heaven called for me lovingly. My hands ran through his soft hair while his own moved like flames down my body, hovering over my stomach before continuing. God, his touch set fire to my skin.

Longing overtook me. I wanted him. Everything. Now. I pulled off his coat, letting it fall to the floor. Tore at his shirt, a resistant rip streaked down the front. With all the adrenaline and anticipation, my hands fumbled around his pant line. Laughing softly, he lifted me up, my hands unable to reach. So I ran my fingers up his chest, tracing his muscles as I kissed him. Wrapping my legs around his waist, my wings spread outward for balance.

I stopped suddenly, lifting my head at a quiet humming sound. Snapping me out of my phase.

"What?"

"Do you hear that?" I asked, tilting my head, flicking my ears forward and backward.

"Hear what?" He set me down and I moved to the wall, pressing an ear against it.

A disgusting smell of rotting flesh started to burn in my nose. Pungent and stinging. Loud crackling sound filled my ears, vibrating through the walls. Humming, buzzing, snapping. Screeches unlike any I'd ever heard before. It hurt. Zidane felt it too.

I swung open the door. Slicing down the halls with incredibly fast speed. Zidane followed close behind. My wings extended straight behinds me, aerodynamic to help increase momentum. Whatever was happening, it was outside. And curiosity always got the better of the cat.

Humans ran past us screaming, deeper into the tunnels from whatever was beyond. Guns in hand. Following the sound through winding hallways, I found my way back to the green house, all harvested, baskets overflowing but not taken anywhere, no one was there. Heading for the entrance, I should have guessed what I would find.

"False Demons," I whispered.


	48. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47 - The False ****錯誤**

Everywhere was swarmed with different shades of red. Moving in waves along the ground and buildings trying to find whatever living they could. Closer and closer they came to where we stood.

Some demons looked like overgrown centipedes, so many claws as legs along a three foot body. Others like the one I had seen before, limbs so long they walked like spiders, but they were twice the size of a human now. Several looked like gargoyles, but their wings were torn and broken, yet somehow they still managed to fly. Numerous had large horns connected behind their jaw, their bodies deformed, walking on five inhuman leg while two others bent abnormally, arms arched back immobile. So many others were there as well. All their faces were distorted. Slashed, mangled, teeth thin and sharp of all different sizes, some long enough they sat where a glossy red eye would have been. There must have been hundreds of them.

Time slowed and everything happened within seconds. I watched as a human was caught in the sabotage. Screaming as she was snatched up by a winged demon who was about to take a bite of her head before the horns of another grabbed at her legs. They hissed at each other, pulling like a game of tug-o-war before she finally was ripped in half. Blood splattered onto the ground as the woman's scream faded into the shrieking of other demons.

A spider joined in the feeding of the bottom half before looking up at me. It screamed and lunged for me, but I was too overwhelmed to do anything. Luckily, before it reached me, Ayden, as a werewolf, jumped on it, shoving his dangerously clawed hand into the back of its head. The demon gave a small squeal, moving unsteadily from side to side. Odin appeared then, snarling as she attacked its side, making it fall to the ground. She tore and bit at the demon's head until it stopped struggling.

Ayden stood, looking at us for only a second before he was tackled down by several of the centipede-like demons. Odin growled, running for them before she herself was attacked by more. She whimpered, trying to get them off.

A streak of black flashed in front of us, throwing the demons off Odin. Another of her kind, but slightly bigger with more course black fur. His large mouth easily grabbed a hold of one demons, sharp teeth digging in as it squirmed until its hard outer shell cracked and was snapped in half. The wolf whirled, black eyes looking at me intently. Time sped up then and I shook my head.

"Koliko! Look out!" Zidane yelled.

Turning I saw several spiders just behind me. They hissed and attacked, but in an instant they were slashed in half. Zidane held out his white skeletal Soul Blade, covered with a thick almost black green. Golden eyes shining fiercely. The next thing I expected him to say was to get as far away as I could. Go down with the others. Stay safe. All the things I didn't want to do. But instead, he smiled menacingly at me.

"Let's go," he said, running past me. Swinging his sword at the horned demon that was still ripping at a bloody half carcass. It screeched before melting like butter to the ground.

I walked toward him smirking. There really was a bit of Darkness in him too. Swarms of red took notice of me, they howled as they attacked. Time to see what Hash was talking about. I merely glanced at them before they were consumed by black flames, not even able to release a sound as they lie in heaps melting slowly against the broken paved road. Blood boiling like stew.

Things seemed so much simpler. My powers seemed to act on their own. My body moved with the instinct I had been suppressing all this time. Senses active with every movement around me. I turned, swinging my hand back with me, catching a large scorpion-like demon. The top darker red shell cracked before shattering under the force. It shrieked while blood dripped from the wound. Staggering side to side, shaking an inhuman head to gather it's bearings.

Suddenly, it fell to the ground as if it were stepped on, the rest of the blood seeped from underneath an invisible force. I looked to see Hash holding his hand out, smiling he looked at me, slit eyes specked with red and gold. I smiled in return, noticing the demons were all nearly killed. Odin chased around a lone centipede like a rabbit. Ayden finished killing off what looked like a deformed bat. Even Ryan who threw small skeletal daggers at fleeing demons. But I didn't see Zidane.

A shadow covered me. Clear slime dripped onto my head like rain. Looking up I saw a pure black demon, standing tall like a human, bigger with a mix of all the other demons. A long spine-like tail, wings that nearly resembled that of my own vampiric one, the arms thin and long, spikes ran down it's back. An oblong head, the long teeth lined neatly instead of jagged, dripping saliva, six dark purple eyes on each side. Those eyes that paralyzed me.

It screeched down at me. An arm nearly slammed down on me before I was knocked aside. I spun until I was caught by something soft as I slammed into the side of a building. Xavier held me protectively. "This one's different," he gasped, wincing. I stood quickly, moving away from him.

Looking back I saw Zidane swinging his shimmering sword at the creature. His black hair was slick with sweat. Golden eyes blazing. The False hissed before releasing a sound so chaotic it knocked the wind from my lungs, my ears rang. Zidane grunted before falling to his knees holding his head.

"Zidane!" I yelled, teleporting to him. Just as I reappeared the creatures hand loomed down on us. I teleported again, appearing beside Hash. Zidane shivered and I brushed frost from his hair. A gash bled on his side, healing slow like a human's.

"Get him away from here," I ordered. The False roared, coming towards us. I looked at Hash. "Now!" I took toward the creature, hands blazing with black. Taking to the skies as it swiped at me. Snarling, it's shoulders shot mist at me, so nauseating as it filled my nose and my senses started to fuzz. Dear Lord, my mother's power created this monster.

"Koliko!" Zidane called after me. I glanced at him, moving towards me quickly, blood splattered wings spread.

"Stay away," I yelled, feeling myself get weaker by the second. My wings felt so heavy.

Too late, Ayden had already jumped onto the demon. It hissed in agitation. Suddenly bones jutted out at him where they had not been before. He fell to the ground with a crack. Before the False could finish him off Xavier and Hash ran at it with blinding speeds, the wind knocking the demon away. Again it hissed, with its massive wings it beat at the mist as it sprayed again. Hidden inside so any who entered wouldn't be able to use their powers.

Suddenly it lunged up into the air, clawing at me. I moved barely in time. Without a look at the others, I flew away from the city with lightning speeds, the creature following within a cloud of fog. My eyes fuzzed in and out. I tried to stay balanced, but my wings started to feel numb. But I kept my distance from it as much as I could. Fire shot out at me, almost catching my feathers. _Just a little farther_, I thought.

Suddenly a long spike flew through the air, piercing along my side. I yelled, grasping it as I fell to the ground. I grunted, forcing my wings to spread. Catching wind seconds before I hit land. I flew through a maze of trees, but the creature simply snapped through them, screeching at me, sounding like a laugh. My feet touched the ground, I half ran and flew. The forest opened up, revealing a cliff. With a last burst of energy, I lunged for the edge, my seal pulsing. Glancing back at the False.

"Leviathan!" My voice echoed through the open sea air as I jumped. I heard before I saw. As the demon reached for me, Leviathan's call reverberated from under the sea, even shaking the air. A hand nearly grasped my ankle, until the ocean released the grand black serpent, mouth gaping. The demon shrieked in surprise, trying to get away as teeth crunched down.

I smiled, closing my eyes as I fell backward to the sea.

"_Koliko…"_

_I stood in a garden, surrounded by black roses, but still the same paradise as before. Mother turned to face me, her royal eyes concerned._

"_Nanami," I said in shock. She looked exactly the same way before she died._

"_Koliko, my sweet, listen to me." Petals lifted and flew along a breeze as she came toward me, taking my hands in hers. "I only had enough power to give you this message." Even though I should have been happy to see her, I couldn't help but feel as if she were only a stranger. "I have Glanced after my time. Aldaris will be very strong now. He will have yours and Zidane's powers, as well as mine. Taken from our blood."_

"_How do I counteract it? I can't even stop a demon made from your own blood. I won't be able to stand against all these powers." The breeze grew stronger. Nanami's hair played with the wind._

"_I am here to give you the power to overcome my own. I cannot help you otherwise." She smiled. "You have become such a beautiful woman. A beautiful vampire." The world grew dark, the rose bushes turned to thorns. With both hands in hers, her eyes rolled back. Her hollow voice echoed. "I give you what remains of my power." A sensation filled me, I actually felt my powers grow stronger. "Take care, my sweet." And the world disappeared. My mother gone forever, and I wasn't even able to fully recognize her as anyone._

I felt the wind over me as I followed the ways of gravity. I heard a flutter and was swooped back upward. I leaned my head against Zidane's strong chest, listening to his luscious heart. Letting my senses come back to me. "You're late," I said. "I missed you." A chuckle resounded through him.

An echoing call from Leviathan soared through the air.


	49. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48 - Heaven & Hell ****天堂和地獄 **

Golden wheat swayed in the gentle breeze. The trees around the meadow were all so green with a subtle hint of blue that made them seem like they were glowing. Such a contrast to how they were before. Soaking up carbon dioxide from the air and pollution as an evolutionary trait. I could smell the fresh air they released back into the atmosphere. Gray clouds moved slowly across the sky, but no hint of blue could get passed. My wings spread fully as I lay on the ground. From the corner of my eye I could see my black feathers barely glistening different colors. Zidane's head rested on my stomach, his face toward me with his eyes closed. I ran my hands through his soft hair.

"Are you asleep?" I asked, still staring at the sky.

It took a moment for him to answer, he seemed distracted. "I'm listening."

I glanced down at him, lifting my head slightly. "To what?"

A finger came over his mouth, his eyes staying closed. "Shh, it's a secret. I can't tell you."

"What's the secret?" One golden eye opened to peer at me. A private happiness played in its liquid iris. Strands of black hair fell across his eyes. The corner of his mouth came up in a taunting crooked smirk. "What?" I asked in an irritated hushed voice. Zidane only shrugged, taking a deep breath, stretching his own wings as he went back to his fake sleep. A gentle smile came unconsciously across my face and I let it go.

"You should get back to the others," I whispered, hands stopping, my smile disappearing.

"You mean 'we'," he corrected immediately.

I shook my head. "I'm not going with you." I sat up and his head fell into my lap. Zidane looked up at me, his face filled with seriousness. "Aldaris sent those False Demons after us. And he won't stop until I'm dead and he has you in his grasp to make more official obedient Trues. And I'm the only one that can stop him. If that means destroying myself to keep him away from you… So be it."

Zidane snapped up and pinned me down before I could even blink. "Then let's run. Stay together. I won't allow you to die," he said, staring down at me emotionlessly.

"Run, and keep running for the rest of our lives?" I pushed him up angrily and sadly at the same time. "We will never be happy that way. We would have to face him eventually. So many will die now if Aldaris is not killed."

"I won't allow it," Zidane growled. "If anyone is to die to defeat Aldaris, it will be me. You are far too precious to face death."

"And what of death?" I hissed. "It does not seem so evil when it is made from Darkness just as I am."

He looked away, golden eyes fierce. "You do not want to feel what death is like."

Wind whirled angrily around us, taken up by our emotions. It shook the leaves of the trees. Howling like wolves to an un-seeable full moon. The grass rippled stronger, looking like a storm over an ocean.

I reached, turning his face back to me. Our eyes met in a sadness that seemed to overflow in our hearts. "I must do this," I said. "When you showed up, my life turned into a dream, but it only masked the hellish nightmare that it really is. I need to wake up. I only want to dream."

"I refuse to let you go. I will destroy this nightmare and you can dream all you wish." Even though his words made me flutter, it also made me angry.

I teleported to the edge to the field. Zidane looked at me and I desperately wished I could go back to him, but I stood fast.

"I can take care of my own problems."

"Damn your pride, Koliko!" screamed Zidane, standing up.

I took unsteady steps backward, feeling tears fill the rim of my eye as I watched him. Before I could teleport away, he was in front of me, his arms wrapped around me in a deathly grip. He kissed me fervently, desperately.

"What will it take for you to let me go?" I whispered, hiding what I could of my choking voice, trying to sound emotionless and not taken over.

Zidane set his forehead against mine, eyes closed. "Lie to me."

My own eyes closed. "I love you."

The wind suddenly stopped, circling like a breeze in the eye of a hurricane. Our eyes locked with each other. His gold blazed like flames while my own burned bloodily back. Zidane's arms dropped, defeated and hurt.

The loss made me want to throw my arms around him. Feel his body close to mine. To tell him it wasn't a lie. Surely he knew it was the truth. Instead, I stumbled backward, taking the opening he was giving me. Turning and running deep into the forest toward the nightmare that made my life hell. The wind reeled after me, carrying his voice.

"No matter where we are, Koliko! We will never find a love more pure than this!"

I pushed myself to run faster. His angelic voice echoed through the forest no matter how far I went. A tear finally slipped. I didn't know, but when it hit the ground, it started to rain.

The sky thundered. Rain poured, threatening, seeming like it would flood the whole earth. My black hair stuck against my face as I stared at it. Blood washed from my ripped clothes. The ground drank the mix greedily at first, but then began to drown in puddles.

Before me was a large building resembling the Pentagon. Only it was bigger, on the other side of the world, darker, and filled with haunting supernaturals. Aldaris was inside. I could feel the aura radiating from within. The sense was shocking, able to steal the breath of anything that needed it.

My ears twitched. _Won't you come in?_ Aldaris's voice echoed around me.

I breathed deeply, dropping my cloak onto the ground. Taking a few steps forward until I stood inside the shadows of the building. Movement to my left. I shifted my eyes in that direction, a demon screeched before exploding, covering me freshly with its blood. I took off through the dizzying shades, shadows moving all around me. Following the black aura.

Demons jumped at me, jaws spread, claws, arms, anything that might damage me. I ducked, barely thinking and some turned to dust, others exploded like before. I jumped, flipping over the top of a black demon. It sprayed the neutralizing mist, but this time it didn't affect me. My wings sliced through it as I hit the ground, and kept running, cursing that I could only teleport to places I could see.

At a certain point, the floor became carpeted. The run down look of the building became a high maintenance impression. The demons ceased pursuit as I bashed through thick oak doors. The room behind them was exceedingly large. Lined with books throughout the ages from corner to corner. A black desk sat at the edge. A whole wall was made of glass, showing a dead meadow at the center of the pentagon.

Aldaris stood with his back to me, staring at the raging elements outside. He set down a fine wine glass filled with the disgusting scent of blood. Turning toward me, he smiled evilly.

"Are you afraid?" he asked. Running a hand through his black hair that resembled mine. Even the black and red of his eyes could have match my own either way.

"Afraid?" I wiped my face with the back of my hand. "I'm not afraid. I was born for this."

"Do you really think you can defeat me?" he asked, amused.

I stared at him confidently. "I will do everything in my power to erase you from this world." My broken seal burned coldly. Giving in to impulse, I slit my thumbs across my fully extended fangs. Black acidic blood dripped, eating the carpet and metal floor underneath. Holding my arms out, my blood suddenly defied gravity, flowing from on hand to the other, molding until I held in my hand a black replica of Zidane's Soul Blade. "Whatever happens, Aldaris." I held the sword toward him. "Only one of us shall stand under heaven."


	50. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49 - Light ****光 **

Clouds rumbled. Lightning flashed. Rain splattered against the glass angrily. The wind blew so fiercely that it tore anything it could from the ground. The earth shook with rage. Vare Hunters were nearly extinct now. Werewolves on the brink of annihilation. And Vampires finally ruled all. But not for long. Today was the day of days. The last of supernatural reign. I would make sure of that.

I charged. Sword brought up, lined perfectly horizontal with my arm. The movements were quick, flawless, and graceful even with death breathing in the air around us. I swung, but Aldaris moved away faster, a ghostly shadow of his advance following behind him. Behind me, I swung, barely missing by an inch. Small strands of black hair fell to the ground.

Looking up, Aldaris levitated in the air. A menacing look creeping over his face as he lifted a hand to his cheek. Black and dark blue blood scarcely tinged his fingers. My eyes narrowed at him. Just a scratch, but it wasn't enough, I had to be faster.

"Very well done, Koliko," Aldaris commented, growling. "Able to wound me with the first strike. With that sword." He pointed at my shining black Soul Blade. "No weapon should be able to hurt me." Swinging his hand at me, I glimpsed ripples in the air, which would have been unnoticeable to anyone else.

I jumped in the nick of time. Catching air beneath my wings, flying towards him. If he stayed in the air, he'd have to concentrate more on keeping himself up and on me. I swung the blade for his neck. A hand reached up, a clear shield deflecting the attack. Teleporting to the other side, I swung again. Another side, _swing_. Another, _swing_. Below. Above. Each time the assaults were negated. To a human, this battle would seem like seconds. But to Aldaris and I, it felt like hours.

Different times waves came at me. I dodged most, even sending my own mind currents at him. Some I tried to repel, but they were so strong. Hitting my head, I crashed onto the floor, unhurt physically but mentally struck. Black seeped into my vision to make me blind, my powers draining from me. Aldaris's laugh echoed in the room.

"My dear daughter, because of you I no longer do I needlessly thirst for blood. Because of you I have also gained to powers of the Angel. Because of you I have become the most powerful in the world." The image of Aldaris started to be taken away. I stood steadily trying not to shake. "And I have you to thank for all of it." A gust of wind touched my back. "My daughter," his voice hissed behind me in disgust.

I turned blindly. Too late. He grabbed my head, swinging me into a concrete reinforced metal wall. _Crash, crack, crunch, snap_. I flew through several before finally losing momentum, falling from the last wall to the ground. I coughed, feeling blood spill from my mouth. My body shook uncontrollably, hands going numb, legs paralyzed. Was I really so weak? With all this power that was supposed to be so feared?

"Shall I send you to Hell now?" A swift breeze blew against my face, but I hardly noticed. I looked up blindly to where the voice came from.

"Hell is merely being sent to the grave, not a place to be afraid of. Dying and being conscious of nothing at all. I have waited to die for so many centuries," I coughed, blood dripping from my chin. I heard as it sizzled against the ground, droplets eating at my clothes. "But I shall not go alone."

I felt Aldaris smirk. "Alone is all you will ever be." The air shifted, I heard a swift slice through the air directed toward my neck. Suddenly, my body moved on it's own accord. My hand reached up, grasping around Aldaris's wrist, that I had no knowledge of where it was, before it struck.

_I will always be with you_. I shifted my head at Zidane's voice. A tear welled up in my blind eye. My body stood, kicking Aldaris directly in the stomach, making him fly back through the holes I had created.

I heard hissing all around. Gruesome and vile. My hand swung around, I felt a cold fire burst from it, sticking to the demons I knew surrounded me. They squealed in agony. More came, snarling at me. I ducked, jumped, and dodged them all. A loud whistle of air blew past me, taking away the noises. Howling and new snarls filled the building.

I backed up unsteadily, hitting something so warm and welcoming. Arms wrapped around me protectively. Hands tilted my head back and lips touched my own with a passion. Slowly, my black vision started to haze and clear. Zidane's golden eyes gazed down at me lovingly. White wings sparkled luminously in the dark. I let out a laughing cry, spinning around and holding him close.

"I love you," I cried. "I love you."

His arms wrapped around tighter as if I had been lost. Burying his face in my hair, breath tickling my ears. "I know."

Pulling back, I glanced around where we stood. Glowing black fire was consuming the remains of demon bodies. Around us in the shadows, figures moved swifter than the demons ever could. Hash ran along the walls, working in time with Xavier as they pursued the demons. Ryan flung black and white daggers lit with blue fire. Ayden and the two wolves tore False apart.

"You can't do this alone," Zidane said, still looking at me. "Come." Holding out a hand, I took it, and we ran toward the aura of evil.

Rubble covered the floor. The broken entry where I had crashed through shown a dark and angry world through the glass. Waves of anger sliced towards us. Zidane and I split, running parallel with each other as if we were in a dance. Up the walls, across the ceiling. Currents of power rippled across the air from the center of the room where Aldaris stood. They ripped through the ceiling, pieces of the roof crashed onto the floor. Rage of the elements entered the room.

I blew fire along the floor of one end, while Zidane blew his own golden flames along the other, preventing any escape without the ability to teleport. Blades drawn, Zidane and I attacked simultaneously. We were quick, Aldaris was quicker. Our flames wouldn't stick to him, they dispersed from an invisible field that refused to burn. Through them he appeared, grabbing a hold of my neck, slamming me into the floor with a loud _crack!_ It would have snapped my spine in half had I not been a vampire, but my breath was taken away from me nonetheless.

Zidane moved behind him, shooting a white light from his hand. Aldaris looked back, the red of his black eyes more prominent than before. They sparked and the light deflected to and upper corner of the room, letting more rain pour in, and flung the Soul Blade from his hands. But they didn't hesitate. Zidane's hands moved like lightning. Punching and blocking as he and Aldaris engaged in physical combat. Added forces as they collided supplied a stronger blow. Each started to drip with sweat mixed with rain.

I choked, trying to regain composure. I lifted my sword without touching it, flinging it with a thought toward Aldaris's back. However, before it even reached him, it was cast down and stuck into the ground.

"This is mere child's play," mused Aldaris. I saw thin needles sticking where Aldaris had hit, using my mother's gift to take away Zidane's powers. My eyes widened in horror as I watched blood start to spill onto the ground, running in small rivulets into puddles of water.

"_Zidane!_" I screamed, standing shakily, teleporting only short distances toward him.

"Don't you see?" asked Aldaris. "It's impossible. Even with your seals released you are nothing. You can't stop me." He sauntered toward me, grabbing me around my throat and lifting me up, claws digging into my neck. My power felt as if it was being drained from me even more so. I strained trying to make him release me. "Can you see?" he mused, looking at me sadistically before turning to look at Zidane, who started bleeding heavily, fighting unconsciousness while trying to get to me and Aldaris.

"_Koliko…" I flashed back to the white nothingness I had seen before. Zidane stood magnificently, perfect, in front of me. Wings folded gently. Blonde hair shining white and somewhat transparent. His eyes hiding a secret. "Take this." He held out his hand, a black spherical orb spiraling above his palm._

"_What is it?" I asked._

"_The rest of your power. Darkness. As I have told you before. There is Light in Darkness and Darkness in Light. It's the only way you and I can coexist. But I'm giving you back your half, for this is the only way to save the world."_

_As I reached for the orb I hesitated. "What will happen to you?"_

_He smiled sadly. "My dear, Koliko, you needn't worry about such a thing." Before I could decline, knowing he was hiding a horrible truth, he took my hand smashing the orb between our palms. I felt it dissolve into me. My full power finally surging, my broken seal burning colder._

"_No!" I cried._


	51. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50 - Darkness ****黑暗**

Aldaris stared at Zidane cynically. He looked so much weaker now, to tired, so vulnerable. White wings lost their brilliance and drooped to the ground. With his free hand, Aldaris pulled my Blade from the ground. "This is the future I have Glanced." And he tossed me away, throwing the sword after me.

"_Koliko!_" Zidane was there, knocking me out of the swords path. I skidded across the hard floor, coming to a sudden stop only to watch the horrors as time slowed.

It sliced straight through his heart, cutting it in half. The pain surged through me and it felt as if I were being ripped apart. Zidane gasped, trying to stay strong, grabbing the black sword and pulling it from his chest. Without my piece of power within him, he couldn't heal from that, like I had from his sword before. I screamed as I saw Zidane's body fall to the ground.

"_Zidane!_" I shrieked, and felt Darkness consume me.

Everything happened so fast, I didn't know what I was doing. An eerie black glow surrounded my body, my wings lifted and spread fully. My powers revived and flowing in an energy that wanted to burst. I lunged toward Aldaris, calling my sword to me. _As long as I live, the future is unchangeable since I saw a definite route_, I remembered Zidane saying. _It only changes if you don't know it_. Then maybe I could.

I swung at Aldaris, even if I missed a black shaded force followed behind, catching him off guard and slamming him into a wall. I knew it then, that I could kill him instantly. His power was only half of Zidane's and my own, but it wasn't complete. However, I wanted to take out all the frustrations of my life. I threw him around, his mental resistance was like paper now, even his attacks. I brought him closer to me.

"I shall change your future," I hissed. His eyes widened, blood trickling down his face and sides of his mouth. I opened my mouth wide, fangs fully extended, and bit into his neck. He screamed in agony as I injected my own blood inside him. My wings turned, stabbing through him like knives.

"Koliko…" he gasped, his body going limp. I pulled back, his torso still caged in my wings. His eyes lost the Darkness and evil. They became just as I remembered them when I was a child. Caring. Loving. "My daughter." The sound echoed in my ears as the red of his eyes hardened and they turned lifeless. Dropping him, I turned and ran.

Teleporting toward Zidane as the sweet smell of his hot delicious blood filled the air densely. I stared in horror as I approached. His blood poured from the gaping wound in his chest onto the ground. I fell to my knees beside him, lifting his head in my arm, his breathing was extremely shallow but rather erratic.

"Zidane…" I whispered.

His beautiful gold eyes fluttered open and gazed up at me lovingly. "We beat him," he said quietly, smiling, his own starched white teeth and fangs showing.

I nodded. "Yes, we did."

"I'm glad you're okay. I couldn't bear to see you get hurt like this. I'm glad it was me." He coughed, blood spitting from his mouth. "I'm sorry I won't be here for you guys…for you."

I shook my head in defiance. "You're going to be just fine. I'm going to heal you and we'll be together," I whispered, my vision started to haze as tears started to form in my left eye. "Forever."

His head shook slightly. "You can't save me this time, Koliko. Not this time. I saw this when I was a True Vampire. A for sure Glance of the future." Zidane's eyes closed slowly, he breathed deeply with such effort it seemed like a burden before coughing again, spitting up more scarlet blood.

A tear slipped. "Take back the Darkness you've given me. It'll save you." I closed my eyes in concentration, to give him back the part of Darkness, part of me. A hand clasped weakly around my face. My eyes were forced open, seeing him broke my focus.

Again, Zidane shook his head. "I'm far too weak to control it now. It would consume and ultimately destroy me from existence."

"Then take the rest of your Light," I cried.

"I will not take it," he stated defiantly. "To do that would make us complete enemies. If the Light leaves you, your sanity is lost with it." He took in a painful breath. "We shall be forced to try killing each other, as pure Darkness and Light without part of the other to stabilize us. Doomed for eternity, love lost. Koliko…we wouldn't remember anything, and thus, we both would die. And I'd rather be the only one to die than to live until the end of time not knowing my worst enemy was my true love. I die here Koliko. You keep the Light, for Darkness can't exist without it."

My head felt lighter, I just wanted time to stop. Without Darkness to sustain him, he would die. Without Light to complete him, he would die. With Darkness, Zidane would be consumed. With Light, Zidane would be lost. Tears streamed down my cheek, impossible was what we were meant to be. "Not for me!" I screamed at him. "Not for me!"

His watery gold eyes, which started to fade into their usual dark brown, reopened drearily then and he smiled at me, the smile I had grew to love so much. "Koliko, I love you. Always have. Since you were just a little girl, and I always will." He lifted his hand with all his strength, wiping my tears away. I held it against my face, closing my eyes as he caressed my cheek with his thumb. "Don't you know yet?" I looked back at him sadly. "I was meant to save the world." Taking his hand he poked my forehead. "Our world." My eyes widened. "I was always meant to save you, Koliko. It was always you. You are my vampire, and I am your Guardian."

He took in a shuttered breath. With what was left of his strength, his lips lightly grazed mine. Eyes closing, his hand fell back to the floor. I heard his shaky heartbeat, my beautiful melody, start to fade.

Without a thought, I made a fateful attempt. Biting his neck quickly, holding Zidane's disappearing warmth as close to me as I could. Ignoring the delicious taste, I injected everything I had that might heal him, save him. Desperately releasing my own serum to Turn him, giving him Darkness, the lesser of two evils. But his heart still grew slower and the puncture wounds didn't heal themselves.

The Four Reapers stood on the other side of him then.

"Don't you _dare_ touch him!" I screeched, holding Zidane protectively.

Soul spoke kindly in its haunting echoed voice. _My lady we will not destroy him. But we must take him to our world between time and space or this world will._

I looked down at Zidane, running my hand through his blood slicked black hair. "Zidane… I love you," I whispered, softly kissing his forehead. "Please…say my name." I lifted his limp hand to my face, brushing away the tears with it. "Say my name, Zidane…please." More tears flooded from my eye like rain. Thunder clashed around us. I shut my eyes gently. "You…truly are…such a cruel person."

I watched Zidane's face as the reapers set the scythe staffs in a square around us. Listening to his shallow breaths and fluttering heart. When the reapers lifted the square an invisible source lifted Zidane's body with it. I stood as he rose.

_My lady_, the reapers spoke, turning hooded un-seeable faces to me. For a moment I dared to take my eyes from Zidane. They all held out large ghostly skeletal hands toward me, in them hung four great hourglasses. I lifted my free hand. As they set them in my palm, they shrank from the size of my hand to mere trinkets the size of bracelet charms. Four hourglasses, white, red, gray, and black sand that seemed frozen in each. A single grain refused to drop through to join the rest. Zidane's hourglasses…

They all moved slowly away from me, Zidane's hand slipped from mine. The sudden loss instantly made me grab the silver key around my neck, the key to his heart. The glasses clinked gently against it in my palm. And I stood there frozen and crying as I watched the Four Reapers take my love away from me.

_I love you, Zidane Ayoku Nesaro_.

_I love you, Koliko Yunari Rainorel…Nesaro._

I let myself have a small smile, tears falling even harder then. With all the power in the world and I could not control time nor death. Nor could I walk one of the two paths that were supposed to lead to my happiness. And as I watched him disappear with the reapers, as his voice faded, I heard his heart give it's final beat. The sound played the most beautifully sad lullaby…that I never want to hear again.

I knew what death felt like, my soul shattered.


	52. Epilogue

**Epilogue - Shattered 打碎**

_Walk. Keep walking. Don't stop. Keep walking. _Needless breaths caught short. Gasping for unneeded air. Arms numb, body unfeeling. Smells dulling. Sight blurring. Sounds evaporating. Taste…what of taste? A spark. Of what? Remembrance sparks. A hand flies to my mouth, touching my lips, my fangs, my tongue. Mind losing itself, thoughts diminishing. Heart dead. Eyes shift, the world catches itself in a haze. Legs grow weak. _No, keep walking._

Stop.

Soft padding rain made the spreading black fire dwindle at the exit. No signs of demons, but their lingering auras gave away that they still lived. There was no more wind, and the ground no longer shook. Only rain kissed my face and joined the slow stream of tears down my cheek as I walked out of Hell. Before me, Nations gathered. Remaining Vare Hunters, Werewolves, Vampires. Eyes thirsty for blood, for dominance. If they ran into each other they fought until the death, but they all came at me, their main target.

Behind me four shadowed figures walked to stand close on each side of me. Ayden and Ryan to my right. Xavier and Hash to my left. My sword materialized in front of me, shining black. I took it confidently. White swirled within the skeletal holes. Without a thought, I spun the sword downward, striking it into the ground, making it rumble. The white mist burst from it like an exploding star. Catching all the supernaturals in front of me.

I didn't have to be told, somehow I knew. That the mist was Souls returning to their bodies. But what was different about this sword was that the mystical creatures didn't change back into humans, but remained as they were, this time they regained their sanities. All halted immediately, watching me with new eyes, not menacing to me nor each other. Slowly, they kneel. Cowards. This wasn't all of them, there were still more out there that would need to be caught and killed or reverted.

Coughing, I leaned against the black Soul Blade. My grip failed and my body grew weak. I didn't know if it was real or just my head but I heard it.

_Heaven isn't too far._

Slowly, I shook my head. "Heaven is where you are."

Soul? Shattered.

* * *

**_I have already started writing a sequel to YVG. So if you aren't too extremely angry with me, please R & R_**


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